Treatment of APL

Patients with APL do not respond to chemotherapy and it may lead to severe bleeding.

However, APL does respond to differentiating agents, such as all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO). Differentiating agents permit immature white blood cells to develop into normal white blood cells. The PML RARA gene that is present in most APL patients blocks the maturation of immature white blood cells.

More information on APL can be found at shop.leukaemiacare.org.uk