Ovarian carcinoma terminating in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia following alkylating agent therapy

Rapidly fatal acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) occurred in a woman with advanced (Stage III) ovarian carcinoma who was treated with thiotepa for 30 months. This patient was 1 of 10 long term survivors and represented less than 2% of patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma with regional metastases who received long term chemotherapy during the period 1947-1975. Acute leukemia developed 44 months after initial diagnosis and was preceded by a 10 month period of pancytopenia following cessation of thiotepa. The leukemia did not respond to treatment and the patient expired 3 weeks after its onset. At autopsy, leukemic infiltration of organs was seen, but there was no evidence of carcinoma. A review of the literature suggests that the development of AML reported in ovarian cancer patients is related to alkylating agent therapy.