Increased excretion of urine coproporphyrins during daunorubicin administration in patients affected by acute myelogenous leukemia

Abstract

Increased erythrocyte porphyrin values and high urine porphyrin levels have been reported in leukemic patients, but it is not clear whether the alteration in porphyrin metabolism is due to the leukemia or its treatment. The aim of this study was to compare porphyrin levels in leukemic patients undergoing chemotherapy or not. We analysed porphyrin values in patients with acute emyelogenous leukemia, who had or had not received chemotherapy according to Gale. Erythrocyte and urine porphyrin levels were increased as a result of the leukemic process, but urine coproporphyrins were further increased by daunorubicin treatment. These higher urine coproporphyrin levels were attributed to the activity of daunorubicin, which is known to interfere with the coproporphyrinogen decarboxylation process leading to the accumulation and high excretion of coproporphyrins in urine.