Acute Leukemia With Ph1-Like Chromosome in an LSD User
JAMA – September 09, 1968
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
A rare case of acute leukemia was observed in an individual who used hallucinogens, including lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and mescaline. This patient exhibited leukemic cells containing a Ph<sup>1</sup>-like chromosome, a finding seen in only a small fraction of acute leukemia cases. In contrast, lymphocytes stimulated with phytohemagglutinin did not display chromosome breaks. These findings raise intriguing questions about the potential effects of hallucinogens on molecular biology related to cancer, particularly concerning growth hormone and insulin-like growth factors.
Abstract
Acute leukemia occurred in a user of several hallucinogenic drugs (lysergic acid diethylamide [LSD], mescaline, marihuana, and amphetamines). The leukemic leukocytes of the patient contained a Ph1-like chromosome; lymphocytes transformed with phytohemagglutinin did not show chromosome breaks. A Ph1-like chromosome has only rarely been reported in either acute leukemia or in cultured lymphocytes of individuals ingesting LSD.