[Spontaneous complete remission in a 70 year-old man with acute myeloblastic leukemia with severe pneumonia]

A spontaneous complete remission of 5 month's duration was observed in a 70 year-old man with acute myeloblastic leukemia complicated with severe pneumonia. The remission occurred after severe pancytopenia. He was treated only with antibiotics and blood transfusions. On admission, the leukocyte count was 6.4 x 10(3)/microliters with 98% myeloblasts. The hemoglobin level was 9.9 g/dl and platelet count was 1.5 x 10(4)/microliters. Marrow aspirate was hypercellular with 98.5% myeloblasts, which weakly showed Ia like antigen and myeloid related antigen. On relapse after five weeks' complete remission, leukemic cells were more immature, peroxidase negative and showed no surface markers. Chromosomal abnormalities were detected. During remission induction therapy he died of severe bacterial and fungal sepsis. Such cases of spontaneous complete remission have been rarely reported, previous adult cases were summarized and the role of etiologic factors were discussed.