Abstract
A 4-year-old boy was admitted to the Ehime University Hospital complaining of fever, pale face and the leg pain. After the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) which was morphologically characterized by L1 (FAB classification) and immunologically determined by non-T non-B was made, the combination chemotherapy consisted of vincristin, prednisolone and L-asparaginase was carried out and successfully induced in complete remission. Hemolytic crises (HC) were frequently observed during maintenance therapy. From spherocytosis, osmotic fragllity of red bood cell and family history were compatible with hereditary spherocytosis (HS). splenectomy was performed and resulted in cessation of HC.
It was suggested that HS could be a preleukemic state and that HC was caused mainly by vinca alkaloid drugs during the treatment of ALL.
To our knowledge, this is the first case report of HS associated with ALL in our country.
