Long term carbamazepine therapy induced acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Carbamazepine is a commonly used antiepileptic drug. Apart from the neurological side-effects, hematological side-effects in form of aplastic anemia and agranulocytosis are well-documented. We report an unusual case of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) associated with the long term use of carbamazepine. On hospitalization, the drug carbamazepine was stopped and after confirmation of the diagnosis, patient was started on standard treatment for ALL. [Int J Basic Clin Pharmacol 2013; 2(2.000): 222-223]