Successful treatment of secondary acute myeloid leukemia relapsing after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation with donor lymphocyte infusion failedto prevent recurrence of primary disease: a case report

We report a case of therapy-related secondary acute myeloid leukemia occurr ing in a patient during treatment for anaplastic large cell lymphoma. In sp ite of response to induction chemotherapy and prompt bone marrow transplant ation from his matched sister, the patient experienced an early leukemia re lapse within 3 months of the transplant. Treatment with oral etoposide for 3 weeks followed by donor lymphocyte infusion achieved a 7-month remission from leukemia without any further treatment. Unfortunately, the patient suf fered a recurrence of the primary anaplastic large cell lymphoma that was t reated by resuming chemotherapy and local radiotherapy. The patient died 20 months after DLI, still in CR for his leukemia, due to ALCL progression.