Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and Myelodysplasia Secondary to Breast Cancer Treatment: Case Studies and Literature Review

Chemotherapy and radiation therapy administered for breast cancer predispose patients to the development of MDS or AML. We hypothesize that the breast cancer (BRCA) gene mutations might add to the risk and that primary care physicians must be aware of the long-term risks of cytotoxic therapy, including the development of MDS or AML.