Chronic myelogenous leukemia following kidney transplantation in a pediatric patient

The incidence of cancer is increased follow- ing kidney transplantation. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) has been previously reported in ten adult patients and only one pediatric patient post kidney transplantation. We report one male patient aged 18.8 years, on chronic dialysis from the age of 2 years, who was transplanted from a cadaver donor at the age of 8 years. He was treated with recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) before transplantation and with azathioprine after kidney transplantation. Eight years after transplantation, CML was diagnosed and he was successfully treated with hydroxyurea and alpha-interferon. The follow-up is 28 months. The possible role of the combined action of rhGH and azathioprine in CML genesis is discussed.