A 77-year-old male was admitted to hospital after complaining of fever and a cough for three days. A diagnosis of multiple myeloma was confirmed following M protein identification and a bone marrow biopsy. The patient received chemotherapy regimens of bortezomib plus dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, thalidomide and dexamethasone, and thalidomide and dexamethasone, and was prescribed thalidomide (100 mg/d) to be taken orally for maintenance therapy. After a further two years the patient was subsequently diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. Chemotherapy regimens of cytarabine, aclacinomycin and daunorubicin, homoharringtonine and etoposide, and mitoxantrone and cytarabine resulted in no remission. Partial remission was obtained with a course of ifosfamide, vindesine, cytarabine and prednisone chemotherapy. This therapy may be an alternative treatment for secondary leukemia, particularly in elderly patients.
Keywords: COAP; acute myeloid leukemia; multiple myeloma; partial remission.