CHRONIC MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA AFTER LYMPHOID IRRADIATION AND HEART-TRANSPLANTATION

We have previously reported a case of recurrent cardiac rejection in a heart transplant recipient successfully treated with total lymphoid i rradiation. Five years after transplantation chronic myelogenous leuke mia was diagnosed in this patient. The long-term effects of total lymp hoid irradiation in the heart transplant population have not been repo rted. Based on the known relationships among irradiation, gene translo cations, and leukemia, we postulate that this patient's chronic myelog enous leukemia may be a long-term sequela of previous total lymphoid i rradiation.