Possible differentiation of human acute myeloblastic leukemia cells by daily and intermittent administration of aclacinomycin-A

Abstract

A rapid decrease of myeloblasts and a remarkable increase of mature neutrophils, mostly with Pelger anomaly, were observed in the peripheral blood of a 51-year-old woman with terminal acute myeloblastic leukemia during 16 days of daily i.v. administration of 20 mg aclacinomycin-A (ACM-A). When the same dose was administered later on three consecutive days each week, a similar hematological change occurred again. An increase of myeloblasts observed between the third and the fifth week of this intermittent schedule was accompanied by that of mature neutrophils. Thrombopenia and anemia did not improve significantly. These findings may indicate the induction of leukemic myeloblasts by ACM-A into mature neutrophils. Administration of relatively small dose anthracyclines including ACM-A may be another potential choice in the treatment of refractory acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) or ANLL after relapse.