Clonal Evolution Of Aplastic Anaemia To Myelodysplasia/Acute Myeloid Leukaemia and Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria

Abstract

Aplastic anaemia (AA) is a non-malignant haemopoietic disorder characterised by peripheral blood pancytopenia and a hypocellular bone marrow. Successful management of acquired AA including treatment with immunosuppressive agents, mainly antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporin or allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplantation, has resulted in long-term survival of many patients. The later evolution of complicating clonal disorders such as paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria, myelodysplasia and acute myeloid leukaemia in patients treated with immunosuppressive therapy may be a manifestation of the natural history of the aplasia, the development of which may or may not be increased by immunosuppressive therapy. A persistent, profound deficiency and/or defect in the stem cell compartment, despite haematological recovery after immunosuppressive therapy, may create an unstable situation which predisposes to later clonal disorders. A review of the progression of AA to clonal disorders is now outlined.

Key Words:

• Clonality
• aplastic anaemia
• paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria
• myelodysplasia
• acute myeloid leukaemia