Observations on polycythemia vera turning into acute or chronic granulocytic leukemia during treatment with radioactive phosphorus 32P.

Abstract

In a group of 172 cases of polycythemia vera treated with radioactive phosphorus acute granulocytic leukemia developed in 3 and chronic granulocytic leukemia in 6 cases. The author believes that development of acute granulocytic leukemia during this treatment may be considered with some probability as a result of the leukemia-inducing action of ionizing radiation. Transition of polycythemia vera into chronic granulocytic leukemia seems to be a natural outcome of this complex myeloproliferative syndrome in patients with survival prolonged by treatment with 32P.