Differentiating Effect of Oral Administration of Vitamin D and Vitamin A for Acute Myelocytic Leukemia After BHAC-DMP Therapy

Abstract

A 64-year-old female, who had been diagnosed as RAEB in T one year ago, admitted to our hospital on February 10, 1987, because of general fatigue. One month later, blast count increased gradually. The bone marrow aspirate was hypercellular and about 36.5% blasts showed peroxydase positive. Flow cytometric examination revealed that the blasts possessed My7 and My9 surface marker. Hence, her status was considered to show conversion of RAEB in T to myelocytic leukemia.
She received BHAC-DMP therapy from March 16 to 19. Leukemic cells in the peripheral blood and bone marrow were rapidly decreased in number and a nadir was achieved 7 days later. Then, vitamin D (2.5μg/day) and vitamin A (120,000U/day) were administered per os. One month later, WBC count reached 8,900/μl and myelocyte appeared 28% in peripheral blood. In bone marrow aspirate, myelocyte count was 55%. Elevation of serum calcium level and stomatitis were observed as its side effects.
Our findings suggested that oral administration of vitamin D and vitamin A, combined with the common induction therapy, might be worth trying in the case of overt leukemia subsequent to MDS.