[8;21 translocation acute myelocytic leukemia developing in the second trimester of pregnancy with successful...

A 28 year-old woman in the 26th week of pregnancy was admitted to our hospital on February 6, 1993, because of anemia and thrombocytopenia. On admission, her hemoglobin was 8.2 g/dl, platelet count 6.3 x 10(4)/microliter, and WBC 6,300/microliter with 43% blasts. The bone marrow examination showed hyperplastic bone marrow with 38.8% blasts. She was diagnosed as having 8;21 translocation acute myelocytic leukemia (M2). In the 30th week of pregnancy, she gave birth to a 1449 g male infant by induction delivery. After DCMP therapy, complete remission was obtained. She has been in complete remission for 32 months and her child is growing healthy after overcoming an underweight condition due to premature birth, respiratory distress syndrome, circulation insufficiency and hyperbilirubinemia. This case suggests that in the event of second trimester pregnant patients with acute leukemia, we should wait for the proper time at which successful delivery can be expected, and then intensified remission induction chemotherapy should be carried out after the delivery.