Klin Onkol 2013; 26(2): 140-142. DOI: 10.14735/amko2013140.
Summary
Background: Acute myeloid leukemia is a malignant disease characterized by clonal expansion of immature hematopoietic cells – myeloblasts – in the bone marrow. Intensive chemotherapy treatment in elderly patients (over 60) has disappointing results. In these patients, conservative treatment, including compensation of deficiency of red blood cells and platelets by transfusions and treatment of infectious complications is recommended. Also, relatively new treatment with hypometyl agents (azacytidine, decitabine) could be used. Design: The idea of this article is to present a ‘spontaneous remission’ phenomenon, which has not been published in Czech literature yet. In this article, we present 2 case studies of our patients who were diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, were not treated with chemotherapy and spontaneously reached remission of acute myeloid leukemia. Conclusion: The mechanisms of the spontaneous remission remain unclear, but we assume positive effect of a severe systemic infection or previous applications of blood transfusions. Antibodies in blood transfusions and a strong immune response to sepsis may have contributed to spontaneous remission.
