[Complete remission by mepitiostane in hypoplastic leukemia].

A 71-year-old female was diagnosed as hypoplastic leukemia (ALL, L 2). Vitamin D3 (D3) therapy with alfacalcidol was successful and remission continued for approximately 4 months. However, the leukemia became refractory to D3, and low dose Ara-C combined with D3 was ineffective. Combined chemotherapy with vincristine, cyclophosphamide, L-asparaginase and prednisolone, low dose aclarubicin, OK-432 and etretinate ended in a failure. Treatment with mepitiostane was started and 1 month later obvious elevation of hemoglobin concentration, white cell and platelet count was observed. A bone marrow aspirate showed distinct recovery of normal hemopoiesis without residual leukemic cells. The patient has been staying in the complete remission for over 15 months with mepitiostane therapy (30 mg, daily). Androgen therapy, such as mepitiostane, appears to be effective in some patients with hypoplastic leukemia which does not indicate intensive chemotherapy.