Acute erythroid leukemia (M6): Outcome of bone marrow transplantation

Erythroid leukemia is an uncommon form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) whic h has previously been associated with a poor prognosis. We present the outc ome of 27 patients with AML-M6 (19 de novo and 8 secondary) treated with in tensive regimens including bone marrow transplantation (BMT). In the de nov o group, median age was 30 years (2-72), 5 cases were under 15 years. Remis sion rare after induction chemotherapy was 95%. Consolidation in those achi eving remission with BMT was 82%. Transplant related mortality was 36%. Med ian survival for de novo M6 was 2.9 years which was not significantly diffe rent to matched controls with AML (non M6). Overall relapse rate was 35%. I n contrast, patients with secondary disease had a poor prognosis with lower remission rates (57%) and higher relapse rates (75% of those achieving rem ission after induction chemotherapy). In our series the prognosis of patien ts with AML-M6 was most closely related to age and disease status at presen tation (de novo or secondary), The disease is sensitive to AML induction re gimens and long-term survival can be achieved with BMT in first complete re mission.