A case of acute promyelocytic leukemia complicated by mitochondrial disease

A 15-year-old boy with congenital mitochondrial disease was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia. He was treated with all-trans retinoic acid, and his anthracycline dose was reduced in response to his underlying condition. He successfully achieved molecular remission and maintained this state for 4 years. In vitro drug sensitivity testing in peripheral mononuclear cells suggests that samples from patients in remission show higher sensitivity to various anticancer drugs than samples from healthy volunteers. Reduced-dose chemotherapy could be a valid treatment option for patients with mitochondrial diseases because exposure to elevated oxidative stress may contribute to increased drug sensitivity in these patients.