抄録
Five cases of acute and a case of chronic myeloic leucemia were treated by administration of 6-Mercaptopurine (6-M. P.). Three of these cases got satisfactory results according to findings in the blood or of the bone marrow. In addition, two of the above three cases showed marked clinical recovery. 6-M. P. did not show any effect on three of six cases, and they died within a short period of time.
Case No. 1- 33 years old male. At the end of August 1957 he had complaints of anemia and high fever. On admission to our hospital, white blood cell counts were about 25, 200. Eighty % of myeloblasts were present in the blood or in the bone marrow. With predonin 50-200mg of 6-M. P. was administered daily and the patient had alleviation of fever. At the end of September white blood cell counts were about 2, 500, pathologic cells in the blood had completely disappeared and the findings of the bone marrow reverted to near normal. At the end of November the disease recurred. Neither 6-M. P. nor Nitromine was effective and the patient died on g April 1958.
Case No. 2- 63 years old male. In the middle of June 1957, complaining of high fever and exhaustion, he was admitted to in our hospital. White blood cell coon twas 11, 300. Eighty-five % mye- loblasts was observed in the blood or in the bone marrow. With no effect from Predonisolone, 100mg of 6-M. P. was administrated daily. After 20 days pathologic cells both in the blood and i n the bone marrow disappeared. However, due to the recurrence on the disease the patient died in August 1957.
Case No. 3- A recurrent acute stadium of chronic myeloic leucemia. Neither X-ray radiation therapy nor Nitromine were effective, however, 6-M. P. showed a dramatic effect. For 2 weeks 100-200mg of 6-M. P. were administered daily, resulting in marked recovery of the findings in bone marrow, the blood and clinical symptoms. After three months the disease rolled down the hill and the patient died in the end of September.
A characteristic affair noted in the above-mentioned three cases was that after the treatment with 6-M. P. patients had more or less resistance to the drug. Consequently, in the event of the second treatment, although much more 6-M. P. was administered, no favorable effect was elicited. The periodical recovery used to occur after 7-14 days' administration with 6-M. P, and even during this period the decrease of white blood cell was noted.
Therefore, one should be careful of the time of ceasing medication. Regarding the side effects of 6-M. P. there was almost none excluding one case of diarrhea.
