Background: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is an uncommon form of acute myeloid leukemia usually associated with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Pregnancy in patients with APL requires special consideration to maximize the probability of survival of both mother and fetus.
Methods: A patient with APL diagnosed during pregnancy who developed DIC is described. Obstetric and oncologic management of this difficult patient is discussed, and a pertinent literature review of pregnancy in APL is presented.
Results: Of 23 pregnancies in patients with APL reported in the literature (including the present patient), 19 yielded live births, including 8 of 12 who received chemotherapy during late pregnancy and all 3 patients who received all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) during late pregnancy. Chemotherapy or ATRA induced complete remission in 72% of treated patients.
Conclusions: Proper management of pregnant patients with APL usually results in a live birth and complete remission of the mother's leukemia, despite the potentially devastating consequences of DIC, which is present at diagnosis in most patients.