Acute granulocytic leukemia in Hodgkin's disease

Two cases of acute myeloblastic leukemia were observed in Hodgkin's disease patients two and five years following intensive radiation therapy. Sixteen additional cases of acute granulocytic leukemia occurring in radiation-treated Hodgkin's disease patients have been reported in the literature and are reviewed. It is suggested that the development of acute leukemia was related to irradiation in these patients, and that additional such cases could be expected with the use of intensive radiation and chemotherapy, a risk probably justified in view of the improved control of Hodgkin's disease achieved by these programs.