Treatment of relapsed undifferentiated acute myeloid leukemia (AML-M0) with Ayurvedic therapy.

Abstract

A 16-year-old boy was detected with acute myeloid leukemia (AML - M0) with bone marrow pathology showing 85% blasts in February 07, 1997. He received two cycles of induction chemotherapy (3+7 protocol) with daunomycin and cytosar, following which he achieved incomplete remission with bone marrow aspirate showing 14% blasts. Subsequently, the patient received two cycles of high-dose cytosine arabinoside Ara-C and achieved remission. However, his disease relapsed on August 29, 1997. Peripheral blood smear showed 6% blast cells and bone marrow showed 40% blast cells. The patient refused further chemotherapy and/or bone marrow transplant and volunteered for Ayurvedic therapy (AYT) advocated by the author from September 09, 1997. Bone marrow studies done after six months of AYT indicated that the disease was in remission. The AYT was continued for five years and stopped. Thereafter, the patient received intermittent maintenance AYT for three months in the next two years. At present, the patient is normal and healthy and has completed 12 years of disease-free survival with AYT.