The 5q-syndrome--report of two cases

Case 1. A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of fever, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Hemoglobin was 10.7 g/dl, white cell count 6,900/microliters and platelet count 36.7 x 10(4)/microliters. Bone marrow biopsy showed non-lobulated megakaryocytes. The karyotype was 47, XY, +8, -16, 5q-, + mar. We have followed up this case without any special treatment except for red blood cell transfusions. The platelet count has increased to 70.9 x 10(4)/microliters. Case 2. An 84-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of tinnitus and headache. Hemoglobin was 7.9 g/dl, white cell count 1,200/microliters and platelet count 22.5 x 10(4)/microliters. Bone marrow biopsy showed hypocellular marrow and non-lobulated megakaryocytes. The karyotype was 46, XY, 5q-. We have followed up this case only with red blood cell transfusions. The platelet count has increased to 68.9 x 10(4)/microliters. The hematological findings and clinical courses of the two cases were similar to those in the 5q-syndrome first described by Van den Berghe et al. in 1974. And these cases are important in relation to c-fms oncogene and hematopoietic abnormalities.     

Polycythemia vera with der(15) and der(20) associated with remarkable neutrophilia]

An autopsy case of polycythemia vera with der(15) and der(20) associated with remarkable neutrophilia was reported. A 87-year-old man was diagnosed as polycythemia vera in August 1987. The red blood cell count was 621 x 10(4)/microliters, Ht 58.5% and the white blood cell count 45,400/microliters with 92% neutrophils. The splenomegaly, increased red blood cell volume and the low erythropoietin level were present. The arterial SaO2 value was above 92%. The chromosome analysis of bone marrow cells revealed 46, XY, -15, -20, +der(15)t(15;?)(q13-15;?), +der(20)t(20;?)(q11;?). The breakpoint in No. 20 was in q11. The remarkable leukocytosis with relative and absolute neutrophilia were observed. Particularly late in the clinical course the white blood cell count was 92,900/microliters with 99% neutrophils. The Ph1 chromosome was negative and the bcr rearrangement was not detected. He died of bronchopneumonia in January 1989. At the autopsy findings neither the marrow fibrosis nor the extramedullary leukemic cell infiltration was noticed.     

Congenital stomatocytosis associated with aplastic anemia

A seven year-old boy with hereditary stomatocytosis complicated with aplastic anemia was reported. He was admitted to our hospital because of pale and general fatigue. On physical examination, he had severe anemia, petechiae, but no hepatosplenomegaly. Peripheral blood cell count revealed pancytopenia; RBC 103 X 10(4)/microliters, Hb 3.5 g/dl, Ret 21%, WBC 1,200/microliters, Pl 1.3 X 10(4)/microliters, and bone marrow revealed markedly hypocellular marrow. Red cell morphology demonstrated stomatocytosis. Red cell life span (51Cr T1/2) was 12 days, Coombs' test and Ham's test were negative. Indirect bilirubin was 1.1 mg/dl and marked decrease of haptoglobin was found. Family studies showed that his father and sister had stomatocytosis on peripheral blood examination, but no anemia. The patient had severe anemia because of complicated aplastic anemia. Congenital stomatocytosis with aplastic anemia is extremely rare. The authors are interested in a possible relationship between hereditary stomatocytosis and aplastic anemia although the precise mechanism remains to be elucidated.     

Primary myelofibrosis transforming into multiple subcutaneous monoblastoma--a case report]

A 83-year-old man was diagnosed with primary myelofibrosis based on the presence of leukoerythroblastosis, splenomegaly, chromosome 46 XY, a dry tap bone marrow aspiration and fibrosis on bone marrow biopsy, when he was admitted for herpes zoster in June 1987. He was admitted for a second time with multiple subcutaneous tumors over his entire body in July, 1989. He had mild splenomegaly, but no hepatomegaly nor lymphadenopathy. Laboratory tests were as follows: RBC 214 x 10(4)/microliters, Hb 5.1 g/dl, Ht 17.7%, WBC 3,200/microliters with leukoerythroblastosis, platelets 11.6 x 10(4)/microliters, s-lysozyme 251 micrograms/ml, u-lysozyme 770 micrograms/ml, NAP ratio 98%, score 278. Bone marrow aspiration resulted in a dry tap. Bone marrow biopsy showed marked fibrosis. Histologic examination of subcutaneous tumor biopsy specimens revealed a diffuse infiltration of monocytes with flexuous nuclei. These cells were positive for alpha-naphtyl butyrate esterase stain, and negative for peroxidase, alpha-naphtol ASD chloroacetate esterase stain and platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa stain (APAAP). Ultrastructurally, these cells were mostly monocytes and promonocytes, while phenotypically, CD11b, CD13, CD14, CD33 and HLA-DR were positive. These date indicated that the subcutaneous tumors originated from monocytes.     

Myelodysplastic syndromes in two young brothers]

Myelodysplastic syndromes that occurred in two young brothers are reported. A 19-year-old man was admitted to Kobe City General Hospital in May 1990 because of fever and nasal bleeding. On admission his hemoglobin was 5.5 g/dl, platelet count 1.5 x 10(4)/microliters and white cell count 1,700/microliters with 18% neutrophils and 80% lymphocytes. Bone marrow aspirate showed dysplastic features of trilineage blood cells with 4.8% myeloblasts. A diagnosis of refractory anemia was made. His younger brother, a 17-year-old man was examined in May 1990 because of increasing fatigability of 2 years' duration. His hemoglobin was 8.7 g/dl, platelet count 2.1 x 10(4)/microliters and white cell count 2,800/microliters. Bone marrow aspirate revealed morphological abnormalities in three lineages with 5.2% myeloblasts. He was diagnosed as having refractory anemia with excess of blasts. Their parent are consanguineous. The onset at a young age, reduced CD4 lymphocytes and similarity of dyshematopoietic findings suggests the presence of common genetic disorder in the pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells.     

Acute myelogenous leukemia (M2) simultaneously associated with multiple myeloma with special reference to chromosome abnormality of t(6; 14) (p21.1; q32.3)

A 73-year-old male was admitted to our hospital in October 1987 because of severe anemia, anorexia, and loss of weight. The hemoglobin level was 5.7 g/dl, the white blood cell count 2,500/microliters with 5% myeloblasts positive for peroxidase, and the platelet count 8.6 x 10(4)/microliters. The LDH was 656 mU/ml, the total protein in the serum 7.4 g/dl, IgG 419 mg/dl, IgA 104 mg/dl, IgM 10 mg/dl, and urine Bence Jones (BJ) protein 8.8 g/day. The X-ray survey of the bones showed multiple osteolytic lesions. A bone marrow aspirate was hypercellular with 91.4% plasma cells, and was cultured a whole day for chromosome study. It revealed an abnormal karyotype of 46, XY, -15, t(6; 14) (p21.1; q32.3), +der(15)t(1; 15) (q23; q24). Immunoelectrophoresis demonstrated lambda type BJ protein. He was treated with melphalan and prednisolone. Proteinuria and marrow plasma cells decreased in amount. In December a white cell count was 6,030/microliters with 80% myeloblasts. A bone marrow aspirate revealed an increase of 82.6% myeloblasts or promyelocytes. The patient was refractory to chemotherapy and died of sepsis in April 1988. An unrelated abnormal karyotype; 48, XY, +8, +13 appeared concomitant with an increase of the leukemic cells, but no cells showed the t(6; 14). We cytogenetically discussed the simultaneous presence of multiple myeloma with acute myelogenous leukemia.     

Marked hematologic improvement despite deterioration of marrow cell dysplasia in a refractory anemia patient treated with vitamin D3]

A 69-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to pancytopenia and a marked bleeding tendency. On admission, he had a white cell count of 2.8 x 10(9)/l, hemoglobin level of 6.0 g/dl, and a platelet count of 3 x 10(9)/l. He was given a diagnosis of refractory anemia on the basis of bone marrow aspiration findings, which disclosed trilineage myelodysplasia. After discharge, the patient remained dependent on blood transfusions. The sole administration of an active form of vitamin D3 (calcitriol) was started in July 1997, and one and a half years later, the patient's transfusion dependency disappeared. However, bone marrow aspiration findings at this point disclosed marked cell dysplasia of erythroid lineage and a prognostically unfavorable chromosomal abnormality (monosomy 7) that had not been found during the initial examination. Nonetheless, the patient's hemoglobin level and platelet count increased to more than 9 g/dl and about 1.0 x 10(11)/l, respectively. The finding in this case suggested that vitamin D3 therapy is useful for refractory anemia even if aggravated marrow cell dysplasia and cytogenetic anomalies develop.     

B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia/prolymphocytic leukemia (CLL/PL)--a case report

A 48-year-old male was admitted to our hospital on April 20, 1989 because of general fatigue and abdominal fullness. Physical examination showed hepatomegaly, massive splenomegaly, and systemic lymphadenopathy. Hematological findings revealed WBC 73,000/microliters, RBC 289 x 10(4)/microliters, Hb 8.0g/dl, and platelet 9.1 x 10(4)/microliters. WBC differential count demonstrated a mixture of 63% matured small lymphocytes and 32% prolymphocytoid cells. Bone marrow aspiration was unsuccessful with a dry tap. Surface marker analysis of peripheral blood lymphoid cells disclosed that they were positive for anti-HLA-DR, CD 5, CD 19, CD 20, CD 21, CD 25, Sm-IgM, Sm-IgD, and Sm-K. He was diagnosed as B-CLL/PL, and treated with VEPA with partial remission. CLL/PL which was advocated by Melo in 1986 is regarded as a distinct clinical entity intermediate between CLL and PLL in clinical and laboratory features. Our case is interesting with regard to good response to combination chemotherapy, though most cases of CLL/PL have a resistance to standard chemotherapy.     

A case of RAEB in transformation successfully treated by low-dose Ara-C treatment

A 65-year-old male admitted to the Anjo Kosei Hospital due to pancytopenia. The findings at the time of admission were; leukocyte count 2,000/microliters, erythrocyte count 1,580,000/microliters, and platelet count 88,000/microliters. Bone marrow specimen revealed mild hypocellularity with 26% of the blast cells. He was diagnosed RAEB in transformation. Chromosome analysis showed 46, XY, -7, +8, -17, + marker in three cells and 45, XY, -7, -17, + marker in two cells out of five cells. He was treated with the low-dose Ara-C (20mg/body s.c. injections every 12 hrs) for 9 days. Twenty five days later, the blast cells in the bone marrow decreased to 4%, and the complete remission was obtained. The duration of remission is 27+ weeks. At the time of complete remission, the bone marrow cells showed the normal karyotype. In this case, the effect of low-dose Ara-C to the blast cells may have not resulted from induction of differentiation but cytocydal action.     

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia associated with translocation 1;7, marked platelet aggregation and cryofibrinogenemia: a case report]

A 64-year-old male was admitted in September 1989 with complaints of fever and muscular weakness in the extremities. A peripheral blood examination on admission revealed WBC 10,300/microliters (monocytes 32%), RBC 195 x 10(4)/microliters, Hb 7.9 g/dl, Plt 12.8 x 10(4)/microliters with trilineage dysplasia. Bone marrow biopsy was normoplastic marrow with 25.7% of monocytes including immature blasts. Cytochemical analysis of the monocytes showed positive for peroxidase and dual esterase staining. Chromosomal analysis of peripheral blood revealed 46, XY, -7, +der(1) t(1;7)(p11;p11). A diagnosis of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia was made. Hemostatic studies revealed cryofibrinogenemia, marked platelet aggregation on blood smear, hyperfibrinogenemia and a marked increase in maximal amplitude of thrombelastogram. Treatment with prednisolone and VP16, resulted in a reduction of peripheral monocytes and a disappearance of cryofibrinogen, marked platelet aggregation and a decrease in muscular weakness. Nine months after diagnosis he died of DIC, pneumonia, lung abscess and sepsis.     

Myelodysplastic syndrome in a patient with familial Pelger-Huet anomaly]

This paper reports on a patients with congenital Pelger-Huet anomaly who developed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). A 45-year-old female was referred for investigation of pancytopenia of 6 months' duration. Hereditary Pelger-Huet anomaly was diagnosed by family study 7 years prior to admission. On admission, Hb was 6.5 g/dl, Ht 19.9%, Platelets 1.8 x 10(4)/microliters, and WBC 1,200/microliters with 2% myelocytes, 9% metamyelocytes, 14% bands, 2% segmented neutrophils, 58% lymphocytes and 5% monocytes. Most of the granulocytes were Pelger-Huet type with strikingly clumped nuclear chromatin. Bone marrow aspirate demonstrated 3.6% blasts and dysplastic changes including megaloblastoid features in erythroid series and micro-megakaryocytes compatible with refractory anemia, a subtype of MDS. The association of hereditary Pelger-Huet anomaly and MDS is discussed.     

Neutrophil dysfunction in chronic neutrophilic leukemia without rearrangements of bcr and immunoglobulin heavy chain genes

A 67-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with abdominal distension due to hepatosplenomegaly. The peripheral blood revealed Hb content 6.5 g/dl, platelet count 4.7 x 10(4)/microliter, and WBC count 105.8 x 10(3)/microliter with 88% of mature neutrophils. The neutrophil alkaline phosphatase score was 421. Bone marrow aspiration revealed hypercellularity with increased megakaryocytes and myeloid hyperplasia. 46, XY, del 20(q 11) without Philadelphia chromosome was identified by cytogenetic study. The patient was diagnosed as having chronic neutrophilic leukemia and was successfully treated with busulfan, but he died of atypical mycobacteriosis about 20 months later. Analysis of neutrophil function demonstrated diminution of deformability, random mobility, and chemotaxis, but almost normal phagocytosis and bactericidal capacity. Southern analysis showed no rearrangements of breakpoint cluster region (bcr) gene and immunoglobulin heavy chain gene.     

Aplastic anemia successfully treated with erythropoietin and rhG-CSF]

A 32 year-old female admitted to our hospital with pancytopenia. The hematological data on admission were: RBC: 247 x 10(4)/microliters, Hb: 8.8 g/dl, Plts: 13,000/microliters, WBC: 2,500/microliters. Bone marrow aspirate and biopsied specimen showed marked hypocellularity without infiltration of abnormal cells. A diagnosis of aplastic anemia was made. Neither high-dose methyl-prednisolone pulse therapy nor anti-lymphocyte globulin were effective. With combination of oxymetholone (30 mg/day), recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEpo; 12,000 U/day, three times a week) and recombinant granulocyte-colony simulating factor (rHuG-CSF; 33 micrograms/day) for 3 months, remarkable improvements of hematological data were obtained. Her hemoglobin level reached 11.4 g/dl, and platelets count 49,000/microliters. However, 4 weeks after the withdrawal of erythropoietin and G-CSF administrations, her platelet count fell to 12,000/microliters. It was suggested that combination therapy with erythropoietin and G-CSF were effective for aplastic anemia.     

Acute myeloblastic leukemia associated with 46, XY, del(5)(q22)

A 38-year-old male admitted to the Internal Medicine of Surugadai Nihon University Hospital, complaining of general fatigue and throat pain. The laboratory examinations revealed leukocytosis (83, 900/microliters) and an appearance of myeloblasts (90.2%) in the peripheral blood. The nucleated cell count was 56 x 10(4)/microliters with 85.5% myeloblasts in bone marrow. He was diagnosed as acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML). Though he received two courses of combination chemotherapy with daunorubicin, BH-AC, 6 MP and prednisone, one course of combination with mitoxantrone, etoposide and cytosine arabinoside and one course of combination with aclarubicin cytosine arabinoside and prednisone, he could not achieved remission. A chromosome analysis revealed 46, XY del(5)(q22). The amount of DNA fragments hybridized to 4.5 Kb v-fms probe in blastoid cells was approximately a half amount of normal persons. It is not defined the relationship between the decrease of fms and leukemia in this case. He was diagnosed de novo AML, since he had not been received the therapy with potential mutagenic and carcinogenic agents and had not been exposed the irradiation on his works.     

Aplastic anemia successfully treated with rituximab

An otherwise healthy 73-year-old female was admitted to our department in 1997 because of easy bruising and a platelet count of 12 x 10(9)/L. The patient was taking no medications. Bone marrow examination revealed erythroid hyperplasia, megakaryocytic hypoplasia, and no sign of malignancy. Chromosome analysis showed a normal karyotype. There was serological evidence of previous infection with parvovirus B19. No antibodies to HBV, HCV, CMV, or EBV were found. ANA and cardiolipin antibodies were not detected. Treatment with prednisolone was without effect, but 3 weeks after i.v. gamma-globulin therapy, the platelet count was normal, 233 x 10(9)/L. Two years later, the patient was readmitted with a platelet count of 11 x 10(9)/L. At this time, treatment with corticosteroids, azathioprine, and gamma-globulin had only a temporary effect, and further therapy was stopped because of side effects. During the next 3 years, the patient developed transfusion-dependent anemia, and her white blood cell count decreased to 1.8 x 10(9)/L. A new bone marrow examination showed aplastic anemia with bone marrow cellularity about 10%. After an intracerebral hemorrhage, the patient accepted treatment with rituximab and received 4 weekly doses of 375 mg/m2. This therapy was followed by an increase in the platelet count to 232 x 10(9)/L, white blood cell count to 6.8 x 10(9)/L, and no more need for blood transfusions. A bone marrow examination 5 months after treatment with rituximab showed hyperplastic myelopoiesis, normoblastic erythropoiesis, and slightly reduced megakaryopoiesis. The use of anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody in aplastic anemia warrants further investigation.     

Acquired von Willebrand syndrome associated with Hashitoxicosis and pernicious anemia combined

A new case of acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS) with Hashitoxicosis and pernicious anemia combined in a 73-years-old male is reported. He was admitted because of appetite loss and general malaise. Physical examination showed severe anemia and general edema. The red-cell count was 103 X 10(4)/microliters with a MCV of 122 fl; the white-cell count was 2,900/microliters with 24.5% hypersegmented neutrophils; the platelet count was 17.2 X 10(4)/microliters. the lactate dehydrogenase was 9,513 U/ml and vitamin B12 was 87 pg/dl. An aspirated specimen of bone marrow was diagnostic of megaloblastic anemia. The thyroid hormones were decreased with the thyroid stimulating hormone increased. From the immunological findings, the thyroid-test, microsome-test, and anti-intrinsic factor were positive, but M proteinemia and Bence Jones proteinuria were absent. Histology of the thyroid gland and the gastric mucosa established the diagnosis of chronic thyroiditis and chronic atrophic gastritis. Subcutaneous hemorrhages after veni-puncture were observed on admission. He had a normal bleeding time, but the coagulation studies indicated the presence of von Willebrand disease, but as his family and past history were negative, this suggested the presence of an AvWS. The analysis of von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimeric composition had showed the lack of the larger multimers in the plasma, but it was normalized after the administration of levothyroxine sodium and hydroxocobalamin with vWF: Ag/RCo ratio paralleled. As far as we know, this is the first report of AvWS with Hashitoxicosis and pernicious anemia combined.     

Gammadelta T-cell large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia with spontaneous remission

T-cell large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia is a clonal disorder with an indolent clinical course. In July 1995, a 46-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital because his anemia had progressed. He had a white blood cell count of 3.9 x 10(9)/L with 75% lymphocytes, which were intermediate to large and had almost round nuclei and azurophilic granules, and anemia with a red blood cell count (RBC) of 2.69 x 10(12)/L, hemoglobin (Hb) of 9.5 g/dL, and hematocrit (Hct) of 28.3%. Electron microscopic examination showed that most of the lymphocytes had a parallel tubular array and dense core granules in their cytoplasm. Flow cytometry and Southern blotting of the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) genes using the peripheral blood species showed monoclonal proliferation of LGLs with a CD3+, TCRgammadelta+, CD4-, CD8-, CD16+, CD56-, CD57-, HLA-DR+ phenotype, and a TCR gamma gene rearrangement, respectively, suggesting that the patient was diagnosed as having gammadelta T-cell LGL leukemia. He had no symptoms, organomegaly, or skin lesions. About 1.5 years after diagnosis, the anemia gradually improved with disappearance and appearance of a rearranged band in the TCR-gamma gene and TCR-beta gene, respectively. About 7 years after diagnosis, the anemia improved completely with a RBC of 5.01 x 10(12)/L, Hb of 14.8 g/dL, and Hct of 44.3%, and he was in complete remission without TCR-beta and -gamma gene rearrangements. He had received no therapy. This is the first report of spontaneous remission of gammadelta T-cell LGL leukemia.     

Mixed blast crisis with the cytogenetic evidence of three clonal evolutions

A 46-year-old man was diagnosed as having chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in chronic phase in Dec. 1985. In Dec. 1987, anemia and leukocytopenia progressed, and the percentage of blast cells increased in the bone marrow. The blast cells were lymphoblastoid and positive for TdT. It was treated as a lymphoid crisis with vincristine and prednisolone, and complete remission was achieved. However, the blasts (11%) were observed in the bone marrow in Mar. 1988, and the chromosomal analysis revealed 46, XY, t (2q-; 11q+), t (9q+; 22q-) in 13 out of 20 cells. In June, the percentage of the blasts increased again, but chromosomal analysis showed a different karyotype, 46, XY, t(2p-; 11p+), t(9q+; 22q-) which was observed in 9 out of 10 cells. Then, myeloblastoid cells increased rapidly in spite of the chemotherapy in Dec. 1988. The chromosomal analysis showed 46, XY, 2p-, 7q-, 9q+, 11p+, 22q- in all analyzed cells. The rearrangement of the bcr gene could be detected by the Southern blotting. The blasts were positive for CD7, CD11, CD13, CD33, CD36, CD41 and CD42, suggesting that the blasts had the surface phenotypes of both myeloid and megakaryocytoid-lineage. This is a case with the mixed blast crisis that changed from the lymphoid to the myelo-megakaryocytoid in nature, in which three clonal evolutions were observed during the clinical course.     

Blastic crisis of primary myelofibrosis associated with multiple myeloblastomas

The patient is a 71-year-old female who underwent splenectomy due to splenomegaly 32 months after diagnosed as having primary myelofibrosis. On examination she was found to have massive skin nodules, lymph nodes swelling and an enlarged liver with an abnormal hematologic profile as follows: RBC count 3.68 x 10(6)/microliters; WBC count 151 x 10(3)/microliters with 11% blasts; and platelet count 42 x 10(3)/microliters. The bone marrow aspirate showed a hypocellular marrow with 19.2% blasts. Histological examination of the skin nodules revealed that they were myeloblastomas, thus suggesting leukemic transformation of primary myelofibrosis. Her WBC count dropped to about 20 x 10(3)/microliters through treatment with vindesine, cyclophosphamide, 6-mercaptopurine and prednisolone, but it did not drop further. Treatment with dexamethasone remarkably regressed the myeloblastomas, but she died of heart failure 4 months after diagnosis of leukemic transformation of primary myelofibrosis. The autopsy findings showed the formation of numbers of myeloblastomas in both the systemic fatty tissue and dura mater as well as extramedullary hematopoiesis in liver and lymph nodes. A rapid development of splenomegaly in a patient with primary myelofibrosis seems to be associated with leukemic transformation.     

Coexistence of myeloma and primary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)]

Coexistence of myeloma and MDS was noted in a patient without history of exposure to cytotoxic drugs. A 73-year-old man was admitted because of fever and dyspnea on exertion. A complete blood count revealed macrocytic anemia with hemoglobin 7.1 g/dl, RBC 191 x 10(4)/microliters and MCV 111.2 fl. WBC was 6,000/microliters, with normal differentials. Bone marrow showed erythroid hyperplasia with M/E ratio of 1.36. There were marked tri-lineage cellular abnormalities, which included megaloblastic changes, multinucleated erythroblasts, hypersegmentation of neutrophils, giant neutrophils, and giant platelets. Ringed-sideroblasts were demonstrated in 20% of the erythroblasts. These findings were compatible with MDS. Although plasma cells accounted for only 9.7% of the nucleated marrow cells, there were many immature plasma cells with inclusion bodies, and the patient showed lambda-light chain type monoclonal gammopathy with corresponding Bence Jones protein. Immuno-histochemical staining of the bone marrow biopsy specimen revealed monoclonal growth of lambda-positive plasma cells. A punched-out lesion of the skull eventually developed. These findings suggest existence of myeloma. There have been some reports of coexistence of MDS and myeloma; supporting the idea of pluripotent stem cell origin of the disease. This is the first documentation of such a case in Japan.