Basophilic leukemia.

We have described a patient with basophilic leukemia secondary to chronic granulocytic leukemia. Symptoms of hyperhistaminemia were aggravated after chemotherapy with hydroxyurea. Antihistamines (H1 receptor antagonists) controlled many of the symptoms related to hyperhistaminemia. Peptic ulcer disease with hemorrhage, however, is not controlled by H1 receptor blockade and was one of the contributing causes of death. Attempts to purify the leukemic basophils for chemical analysis met with only partial success. In treating patients with basophilic leukemia, supportive therapy for peptic ulcer disease as well as the use of cimetidine for gastric hyper acidity should be used routinely to avoid this potential complication of cytotoxic chemotherapy.