[Multiple myeloma and acute leukemia. Simultaneous evolution of plasmacyte and myelomonocytic clones].

The authors report two cases of acute myelo-monocytic leukemia occuring during the course of multiple myeloma treated by local radiotherapy and melphalan. Both patients underwent a complete remission of their myeloma for 27 and 78 months. The myeloma relapsed suddenly in the form of an acute leukemia. In one case, the onset of acute leukemia was preceded by a syndrome of marrow failure with numerous crown-shaped sideroblasts and an excess of myeloblasts in the marrow. This stage lasted two years. The biochemical abnormalities of the red cells usually associated with refractory anemia and preleukemic conditions were present in the other case.