Therapy-related acute nonlymphocytic leukemia with inversion of chromosome 16 and a sustained remission

Acute nonlymphocytic leukemia, apparently without a preleukemic phase, developed in a 48-year-old male who had received oral cyclophosphamide and razoxane in succession. Inversion of chromosome #16 was present in association with the morphologic features typically seen with this abnormality in de novo acute leukemia. Conventional chemotherapy resulted in complete remission, which lasted for 13 months. The importance of performing cytogenetic studies in cases of secondary leukemia is emphasized.