[A case report of an aged patient with erythroleukemia coexistent with pulmonary emphysema, responding well to AAAP therapy].

A case of erythroleukemia coexistent with pulmonary emphysema is reported. A 67-year-old male was admitted to our hospital in May 1981, with a few year history of cough, sputum and fatigue. He had already been diagnosed as having pulmonary emphysema and moderate anemia. On physical examination, except for pallor, no other findings were remarkable. The initial hematological examination showed hemoglobin, 9.6 g/dl, red cell count, 251 x 10(4)/microliters, platelet count, 7.3 x 10(4)/microliters, white cell count, 2600/microliters with neither myeloblasts nor erythroblasts. A sternal marrow aspiration revealed 21% myeloblasts and 40% erythroblasts including 7.5% megaloblastoids. Periodic Acid Schiff staining was strongly positive for a part of erythroblasts. A chest X-P finding was typical for pulmonary emphysema. Pulmonary function was moderately damaged. He was started on chemotherapy with AAAP (ACNU 50 mg/d i.v. drip over 4 hr x 4d, adriamycin 20 mg/d i.v. push x 4d, Methotrexate 20 mg i.v. push x 4d). The first course of AAAP brought him a complete remission with both disappearance of myeloblasts and erythroid precursors with megaloblastoid nuclei in the marrow and the normalization of white cell count and platelet count in the blood. He was discharged in September 1981 after completion of a consolidation chemotherapy with AAAP. Since then, he received two courses of AAAP as an intensification chemotherapy and has been in complete remission for more than 13 months. His pulmonary function has not been affected and no myocardial damage has been seen throughout AAAP therapy. Thus, AAAP therapy seems to be an excellent chemotherapy even for an aged patient with erythroleukemia.