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  • Title: Portal hypertension develops in a subset of children with standard risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with oral 6-thioguanine during maintenance therapy.
    Author: Broxson EH, Dole M, Wong R, Laya BF, Stork L.
    Journal: Pediatr Blood Cancer; 2005 Mar; 44(3):226-31. PubMed ID: 15503293.
    Abstract:
    BACKGROUND: 6-Thioguanine (TG) was recently studied to determine whether TG in maintenance therapy achieves better event free survival than 6-mercaptopurine (MP) for standard risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on the clinical trial, CCG-1952 (5/1996-1/2000). Veno-occlusive disease was previously recognized as a complication of TG on CCG-1952. We report a newly recognized pediatric complication of TG: splenomegaly and portal hypertension (PH) developing during maintenance or after completion of therapy. PROCEDURE: Twelve patients (3-10 years) had been randomized to receive a targeted dose of 50 mg/m(2)/day of TG during maintenance phases. Actual TG dose ranged from 25 to 77 mg/m(2)/day (median 34 mg/m(2)/day). RESULTS: The initial patient, a boy who had marked thrombocytopenia and intermittent splenomegaly during maintenance therapy, was evaluated for persistent pancytopenia and progressive splenomegaly 3 months after completion of therapy. Dilated splenic vein and collaterals consistent with PH were documented by MRI/MRA. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy found esophageal varices. Liver biopsy showed periportal fibrosis and marked dilatation of veins and venules. Of the other 12 patients, 9 patients studied had abnormal MRI/MRAs with evidence of varices in 4. Eight patients had splenomegaly on physical examination. Liver biopsies in a girl after 3.3 courses of TG and a boy after 4.6 courses of TG showed periportal fibrosis and dilatation of venules and sinusoids and minimal focal fatty changes. Subsequent MRI/MRAs have been stable or improved. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluations of these 12 patients suggest that treatment with TG causes injury to the liver leading to PH and that thrombocytopenia and splenomegaly are clinical hallmarks of this toxicity.
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