A recently recognized entity associated with the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia: the retinoic acid syndrome.

All-trans-retinoic acid is an effective induction treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia. Although retinoic acid is well tolerated by the majority of patients with this disease, a potentially fatal complication of this kind of treatment has been reported: "the retinoic acid syndrome". We describe this syndrome, which occurred in one of our patients and was successfully treated by the administration of dexamethasone.