Ultrastructural characteristics of therapy-related acute nonlymphocytic leukemia: evidence for a panmyelosis

Journal Article · Sat Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Cancer (Philadelphia); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0142(19810801)48:3<725::AID-CNCR2820480312>3.0.CO;2-F· OSTI ID:5704114

McKenna, R W; Parkin, J L; Foucar, K; Brunning, R D

Leukemic cells from 13 patients with therapy-related acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) were studied by electron microscopy. All of the patients had radiotherapy, and/or alkylating agent chemotherapy for other neoplastic disease 25 to 182 months prior to the diagnosis of ANLL. All cases manifested ultrastructural evidence of a panmyelopathy. All marrow cell lines exhibited nuclear--cytoplasmic asynchrony and abnormalities of cell size. Developing granulocytes exhibited decreased primary and/or secondary granule formation and abnormal granules characterized by irregular shape, large size and internal membranous lamellae. Monocytes showed perinuclear bundles of microfilaments. In some cases, the predominant leukemic blasts showed evidence of early basophil granule development which was not appreciated in light microscopy. Abnormalities in erythroid cells included abundant intracristal mitochondrial iron, large vacuoles, infoldings of redundant membrane and membrane-bound nuclear blebs and intranuclear clefts. Megakaryocytes manifested decreased numbers of granules and demarcation membranes. Excessively large platelets with decreased or abnormal granules were identified; giant compound granules with irregular contour and variable electron density were present. Several of the changes in the developing hematopoietic cells were similar to those described in preleukemia and in certain nonneoplastic disorders. The consistent panmyelosis in therapy-related ANLL together with several uniform clinical features defines a specific clinicopathologic entity.

• OSTI ID: 5704114
• Journal Information: Cancer (Philadelphia); (United States), Journal Name: Cancer (Philadelphia); (United States) Vol. 48:3; ISSN CANCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMAL TISSUES
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BODY
BONE MARROW
CHEMOTHERAPY
DELAYED RADIATION EFFECTS
DISEASES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
HEMATOPOIETIC SYSTEM
HEMIC DISEASES
LEUKEMIA
MEDICINE
MICROSCOPY
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
NEOPLASMS
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANS
PATIENTS
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
SIDE EFFECTS
THERAPY
TISSUES
TUMOR CELLS
ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES