Pure red cell aplasia in a prostate cancer patient treated with leuprolide acetate and chlormadinone acetate

Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) is characterized by anemia with reticulocytopenia but with normal leukocyte and platelet counts, and a bone marrow with a selective absence of erythroid precursor cells. Drug-induced PRCA is a rare secondary form of PRCA, and is usually acute and fully reversible by the withdrawal of the causative drugs. We report a rare case of PRCA in a prostate cancer patient treated with combined androgen blockade (CAB) consisted of leuprolide acetate as a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist and chlormadinone acetate as an antiandrogen. This case demonstrated that these drugs could be a cause of PRCA, and suggests that regular close monitoring for anemia is needed in prostate cancer patients treated with these drugs.