Therapeutic cytoreduction in a 7-month-old baby with acute leukemia

✍ Scribed by Douglas W. Huestis; John J. Hutter Jr.; Peggy James

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1992
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 271 KB
• Volume: 7
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0733-2459
• DOI: 10.1002/jca.2920070406

✦ Synopsis

A 7-month-old girl with acute biphenotypic leukemia [t(4;1 I)] had accompanying anemia, thrombocytopenia, and a white blood cell count of 535,0001pL with 98% blasts. Before instituting chemotherapy, therapeutic leukapheresis was done to reduce the threat of complications from leukostasis. Using a Cobe Spectra blood cell separator primed with modified blood, we processed 1,395 mL of her blood, removing 201 mL of the buffy coat containing 5.8 X 10'" white blood cells. This reduced the WBC count to 301,OOOit~L. Only a single procedure was done, without significant complications. The rationale of this preparatory cytoreduction is discussed critically. Subsequent chemotherapy resulted in a long-lasting remission.