Successful treatment of mu-heavy chain disease with fludarabine monophosphate: a case report

Int J Hematol. 2004 Feb;79(2):174-7. doi: 10.1532/ijh97.03053.

Abstract

Heavy chain diseases (HCD) are monoclonal lymphoproliferative disorders of B-cells characterized by the synthesis of truncated heavy chains without associated light chains. In patients with mu-HCD, which is a very rare form of HCD, neoplastic cells produce immunoglobulin M heavy chain. The prognosis for patients with mu-HCD is poor, and there is no specific treatment for mu-HCD. In this report, we present a patient with mu-HCD accompanied by splenomegaly and thrombocytopenia. We treated this patient with the fludarabine monophosphate therapy we use for patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. After 5 courses of fludarabine monophosphate treatment, the splenomegaly and thrombocytopenia improved. Fludarabine monophosphate therapy may be a new strategy to improve the prognosis of patients with mu-HCD.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / administration & dosage*
  • Female
  • Heavy Chain Disease / complications
  • Heavy Chain Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Heavy Chain Disease / drug therapy*
  • Humans
  • Middle Aged
  • Radiography
  • Splenomegaly / diagnostic imaging
  • Splenomegaly / etiology
  • Thrombocytopenia / etiology
  • Vidarabine Phosphate / administration & dosage*
  • Vidarabine Phosphate / analogs & derivatives*

Substances

  • Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
  • Vidarabine Phosphate
  • fludarabine phosphate