Differentiating effect of oral administration of retinol palmitate (Chocola-A) for an aged AML (M3) with severe complications

A 74 year-old woman, who had been diagnosed as AML (M3) in poor condition, was treated with Retinol Palmitate (Chocola-A, 150,000 unit/m2 per os, after informed consent. An increase of white blood cells (neutrophil) counts was observed after 7 days. After 4 weeks, WBC counts were increased to 20,700/microliters (neutrophil counts 6,400/microliters) Maturation tendency of leukemic cells was also proved in the bone marrow. In vitro studies showed that morphological differentiation was recognizable in cultured leukemic cells treated with 10(-6)M all-trans retinoic acid after 6 days, but not in controls. Responses in the NBT reduction test were slightly less than in the clinical study. The administration of Retinol Palmitate may be a new regimen to treat AML (M3) in aged patients in poor condition.