Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia in Pediatric Population: A Rare Presentation

Abstract

Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia (APL) is a very uncommon type of acute myeloid leukemiacomprising less than 10% of pediatric population. Acute Promyelocytic leukemia is a neoplastic proliferation of abnormal promyelocytes in bone marrow, caused by cytogenetic abnormality t(15;17). Majority of patients (80%) have long term survival, and death occurs in approximately 10% of patients in early course of the disease; mainly because of hemorrhage. Hemorrhagic complications can be reduced by appropriate therapy if started timely, which ultimately reduces the risk of death.We report a case of 7 years old boy with complaints of fever off and on for past 06 months, bruises and swelling on left leg for 1 week, blood containing vomiting for 1day. He was diagnosed as APL on bone marrow biopsy. Keywords: Acute promyelocytic leukemia, Paediatric, Retinoic acid syndrome, All-Trans retinoic acid, FAB AML-M3, Sudan Black-B.