Acute myeloid leukemia with leukemic pleural effusion

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) may be associated with extramedullary tumor growth, which is commonly known as myeloid sarcoma. Although AML with leukemic pleural effusion is considered rare, the true incidence is not clear. We report three cases of AML involving pleural effusion in this study. The cases were encountered in a single institute within two years, suggesting that leukemic effusion is more common than previously reported. Leukemic cells showed evidence of monocytic differentiation in all cases. Two patients presented with advanced AML. Both had concurrent myeloid sarcoma. Both were ineligible for intensive treatment and died soon after diagnosis of myeloid sarcoma. The third patient had pleural effusion upon diagnosis of AML. Remission was achieved and the effusion disappeared after treatment. We conclude leukemic effusion may become more common in an era of improved care and prolonged survival for AML patients. The prognostic impact is unclear and patients should be given standard AML treatment whenever possible. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2013;41:909–913. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

An unusual cause of a right nasal mass in a 73-year-old male

We report a case of a 73-year-old male presenting with a right nasal mass on a background of two years of constitutional symptoms. We outline an approach to the evaluation of nasal mass biopsies, which in this case led to the unusual diagnosis of myeloid sarcoma. This is a relatively rare neoplasm, representing an extra-medullary deposit of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). The differential diagnosis of myeloid sarcoma is discussed, along with the clinical, histological and immunohistochemical findings that permit differentiation of this entity from more common malignancies seen at this site including carcinoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma and melanoma.     

Isolated Clonal Cytogenetic Abnormalities after High-Dose Therapy

Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms (t-MN) are well-recognized complications of high-dose cytotoxic therapy (HDT), such as autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Clonal marrow cytogenetic abnormalities (CMCA) in the setting of normal bone marrow pathology have also been reported after HDT, but their significance remains unclear. We retrospectively evaluated occurrences of CMCA and t-MN in 785 patients treated with HDT at Johns Hopkins University between 1997 and 2007. Most patients received ASCT, but 106 patients who received high-dose cyclophosphamide without ASCT were also included in this study, as this is our institutional standard for malignant and nonmalignant lymphoproliferative disorders in need of HDT. Twenty-two patients developed t-MN, with an estimated cumulative incidence of 3.5% at 4 years. Eleven patients developed isolated CMCA, either transient or persistent without pathologic evidence of t-MN. Altogether, only 20 of the patients with reported CMCA subsequently developed t-MN during the follow-up period. Therefore, in the absence of pathologic evidence of t-MN, CMCA should not be considered diagnostic of t-MN.     

恶性血液病8号染色体数目异常的间期荧光原位杂交检测

目的　探讨间期荧光原位杂交 (fluorescenceinsituhybridization ,FISH)技术在检测恶性血液病 8号染色体数目异常中的价值。方法　采用常规细胞遗传学 (conventionalcytogenetics ,CC)和 8号染色体着丝粒特异性探针间期FISH技术对 8例CC检测显示 8号染色体数目异常的急性髓细胞样白血病患者、10例慢性髓细胞样白血病加速期或急变期患者和 3名正常人骨髓进行 8号染色体数目检测。结果9例CC检测为三体 8的患者中 ,FISH检测结果均与其一致 ,其中例 5经CC检测仅发现存在二体 8、三体8和四体 8克隆 ,而FISH检测不但证实了三体 8和四体 8克隆的存在 ,还发现存在一个较小的五体 8克隆。例 3和例 17经CC检测只发现一个细胞有三体 8,无法确定是否为三体 8克隆性畸变 ,FISH检测证实有三体 8克隆存在。例 9经CC检测未发现三体 8,FISH检测发现有三体 8克隆存在。与CC检测结果相比 ,除例 16三体 8检出率FISH结果明显高于CC检测结果外 ,其余均低于或接近CC检测结果。结论　间期FISH技术对检测 8号染色体数目异常具有重要价值 ,当CC检测正常、不肯定或中期分裂相质量差、数量少时作用更大 ,是CC的重要补充。     

Therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia with eosinophilia,basophilia, t(4;14)(q12;q24) and PDGFRA rearrangement: a case report and review of the literature

The myeloid and lymphoid neoplasms with eosinophilia and PDGFRA gene rearrangements usually show a good response to Imatinib and are typically associated with a normal karyotype, occasionally exhibiting a secondary chromosomal abnormality associated with clonal evolution. Five variant translocations involving PDGFRA have been reported. Here, we report a rare case of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia with PDGFRA rearrangement after chemotherapy for prior B lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). The patient had a history of BCR-ABL negative, hypodiploid B-ALL in complete remission after chemotherapy. However, 15 months later the patient developed acute myeloid leukemia with rapidly increasing eosinophilia, basophilia and a complex karyotype that included a novel t(4;14)(q12;q24). FIP1L1 was not associated with the PDGFRA rearrangement. The patient had a very aggressive clinical course, and died from the disease shortly after diagnosis. This is the first case of a primary therapy-related myeloid neoplasm with secondary PDGFRA rearrangement. The t(4:14)(q12;q24) is joining the growing list of the variant translocations involving PDGFRA.     

肝再生磷酸酶3在恶性血液病中的研究进展

正肝再生磷酸酶3(phosphatase of regenerating liver-3,PRL-3)是蛋白酪氨酸磷酸酶家族的一员。蛋白酪氨酸磷酸酶家族有107个成员,它们通过将底物去磷酸化从而参与某些信号通路,被认为在肿瘤的发生和发展过程中发挥了一定的作用。2001年,Saha等~([1])通过基因表达系列分析(serial analysis of gene expression,SAGE)的方法发现,相对于原发病     

A hybrid form of myeloid/NK-cell acute leukemia and myeloid/NK-cell precursor acute leukemia

Natural killer (NK)-cell leukemia/lymphoma is a rare entity that has been defined only in recent years. In the Revised European-American Lymphoma and World Health Organization classifications, only the mature NK-cell malignancies are included. However, at least 3 types of precursor NK-cell neoplasms have been reported in the literature. These include myeloid/NK-cell acute leukemia, myeloid/NK-cell precursor acute leukemia, and blastic NK-cell lymphoma/leukemia. These leukemias are characterized by the presence of blasts, which express CD56, in the peripheral blood, bone marrow, lymph nodes, and/or extranodal tissues. We report a case that is morphologically consistent with myeloid/NK-cell acute leukemia but immunologically is myeloid/NK-cell precursor acute leukemia. This case is unique in its cutaneous presentation without involvement of the peripheral blood. Extensive flow cytometric studies were performed on the skin biopsy and bone marrow aspirate specimens, which included many markers that had not been tested before in these entities. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed.     

急性髓细胞白血病患者CD56抗原表达与MDR1基因表达量的关系研究

目的 研究初治急性髓细胞白血病(AML)患者CD56抗原表达与多药耐药(MDR)1基因表达量的关系,探讨CD56抗原表达与MDR1基因表达量在AML耐药中的作用及相互关系.方法 采用流式细胞术(FCM)和建立实时荧光定量PCR技术分别检测79例AML患者CD56抗原表达及MDR1基因表达水平并分析两者之间的关系及临床意义.结果 24.1%AML患者表达CD56抗原,FAB亚型中M5 AML患者表达阳性率高于其他亚型.遗传学危险度分级高危组患者CD56抗原表达阳性率显著高于中危组(P<0.01),伴t(8:21)AML患者CD56抗原表达阳性率(57.1%)显著高于其他低危组AML(P<0.05).CD56抗原表达阳性初治AML患者MDR1基因表达水平显著高于表达阴性患者(P<0.001).MDR1基因高表达且CD56抗原阳性AML组的CR率(58.8%)显著低于MDR1基因低表达且CD56表达阴性组(89.2%,P<0.01).结论 AML患者CD56抗原表达与MDR1基因表达水平存在相关性;同时定量检测MDR1基因表达及CD56抗原表达更有助于判断预后.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">RABGAP1L</Emphasis> gene rearrangement resulting from a der(Y)t(Y;1)(q12;q25) in acute myeloid leukemia arising in a child with Klinefelter syndrome

In this study, we report the molecular cytogenetic characterization of an acute myeloid leukemia with a der(Y)t(Y;1)(q12;q25) in bone marrow cells in a child with Klinefelter syndrome. Conventional cytogenetics demonstrated the unbalanced translocation, i.e., a trisomic 1q25-qter juxtaposed to Yq12 replaced the terminal segment of chromosome Y was acquired and present only on bone marrow cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the breakpoint at 1q25 disrupted RABGAP1L, a strongly expressed gene in CFU-GEMM, erythroid cells, and megakaryocytes, while the Yq12 breakpoint fell within the heterochromatic region. As der(Y)t(Y;1)(q12;q25) was an isolated cytogenetic change, RABGAP1L rearrangement as well as gene(s) dosage effects correlated to 1q25-qter trisomy, and Yq12-qter loss may make a major contribution to leukemogenesis and/or disease progression. Maria Cristina Roberti and Roberta La Starza should be regarded as joint first authors.     

慢性髓系白血病细胞遗传学检查的临床意义分析

目的　探讨慢性髓系白血病 (CML)患者细胞遗传学改变与疾病的诊断、分期、分险率分组之间的关系。材料与方法　 15 5例CML患者按《血液病诊断及疗效标准》及Sokal危险指数进行分期分组 ,骨髓短期培训常规G显带后进行核型分析。结果　 15 5例CML患者中 ,14 8例Ph(+) ,占 95 5 % ,Ph(- )患者 7例 (4 5 % ) ,其中 4例Ph(- ) /bcr -abl(+) ,3例Ph(- ) /bcr-abl(- )。慢性期患者中 2 1例 (15 6 % )发生附加染色体畸变 ,主要有 +8(5例 ) ,+Ph(4例 ) ,+19(2例 ) ,-Y(2例 ) ,1q - (2例 )等 ;附加染色体畸变率高危组 >中危组 >低危组。加速期和急变期患者中 14例 (70 % )有附加染色体数量和 /或结构异常。结论　慢性期CML是一组高度异质性疾病 ,附加染色体畸变频率与疾病的风险度正相关 ,是判断疾病预后的有用参数。加速期、急变期CML多伴有非随机的附加染色体异常 ,这些染色体的出现可作为预后评估的指标。     

Associations of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors with acute myeloid leukemia in Chinese populations

Many studies have investigated the relationship between KIR, HLA and acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but the results were different in different laboratories, and the data in Chinese population were limited. In this study, the distribution of KIR gene, KIR genotypes, HLA-C groups, HLA-Bw4, and KIR-HLA interaction from 273 healthy participants and 253 AML patients (M0–M6) in southern Chinese Han were determined to investigate the relationships among KIR, HLA and AML. The results showed that the frequencies of 2DS4del in M5 patients were significantly higher than those of the controls (65.0% vs 46.5%, P = 0.0104, OR = 2.135, P < ɑ′). The frequency of KIR genotype BX13 in the healthy controls was significantly higher than that in AML patients (3.7% vs 0%, P = 0.0019, OR = 20.2, P < ɑ′). No other significant differences in the frequencies of KIR, HLA and KIR-HLA interaction were identified between AML patients and controls. Our study suggests that 2DS4del may conduct a susceptibility to AML, and genotype BX13 might conduct a protective effect on AML.     

Overcoming the problem of pseudohypoxemia in myeloproliferative disorders: Another trick in the bag

Pseudohypoxaemia or spurious hypoxaemia is a recurrent problem faced on arterial blood gas analysis in patients with hyperleucocytosis leading to management dilemmas and unnecessary respiratory interventions. Various methods have been suggested to reduce the magnitude of this problem. We report a case of pseudohypoxaemia due to blast crisis in a patient of chronic myeloid leukaemia where arterial blood gas analysed from precooled syringe helped us resolve the problem and hastened our weaning from oxygen therapy.     

Myeloid sarcoma identified on liquid‐based cervical cytology samples: A report of two cases

The purpose of the Papanicolaou (Pap) smear is to detect primary squamous lesions of the uterine cervix. Although most successful at detection of squamous lesions, the Pap may also detect metastatic carcinomas, sarcomas, and melanomas. We report two rare cases of myeloid sarcoma (MS) of the uterine cervix identified on screening Pap smears with concurrent confirmatory cervical biopsies. The purpose of our study is to identify and report cytologic features of MS on Pap smears utilizing a liquid‐based ThinPrep method, which has not been previously documented in literature. Two Pap smears were identified from the pathology laboratory information system, both with positive cervical biopsy findings of MS. Both women, age 40 and 39, presented with ureteral obstruction, hydronephrosis, and past medical histories significant for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). On imaging, cervical masses were identified, and subsequent work‐up with Pap smears and biopsies were performed. Cytologic examination of the ThinPrep Pap smears were negative for squamous intraepithelial lesion. Atypical hematologic cells were seen in the background with irregular nuclear contours, increased nuclear to cytoplasmic ratios, variably prominent nucleoli, and variable amounts of agranular cytoplasm. The biopsy confirmed these findings to represent MS. MS is defined as a tumor mass of myeloblasts or immature myeloid cells occurring in an extramedullary site. This rarely involves the female genital tract, about 50 reported cases. Although very rare, MSs in the setting of a history of AML are able to be identified on liquid‐based ThinPrep smears.     

Easily manageable prognostic factors in 152 Chinese elderly acute myeloid leukemia patients：a single-center retrospective study

We retrospectively investigated the prognostic factors of acute myeloid leukemia（AML） in 152 Chinese patients with de novo AML who were older than 60 years of age and who received treatment at our hospital.Log-rank test showed that 6 parameters including older age,higher white blood cell（WBC） counts,lactate dehydrogenase（LDH）and bone marrow（BM） blasts at diagnosis,unfavorable risk cytogenetics,and non-mutated CEBPα were significant adverse prognostic factors of overall survival（OS） for elderly AML patients（P = 0.0013,0.0358,0.0132,0.0242,0.0236 and 0.0130,respectively）.Moreover,older age and higher LDH were significant adverse predictors for relapse-free survival（RFS）（P = 0.0447 and 0.0470,respectively）.Univariate analysis revealed similar results for OS to those of the log-rank test and only higher LDH at diagnosis was a significant adverse predictor for RFS（P = 0.028,HR：1.979,95%CI：1.075-3.644）.In multivariate analysis,we identified 2 trends towards independent prognostic factors for OS,including BM blasts at diagnosis（P = 0.057,HR：1.676,95%CI：0.984-2.854）and mutation status of CEBPα（P = 0.064,HR：4.173,95%CI：0.918-18.966）.Our data indicated that older age,gender and a previous history of hematologic diseases resulted in lower complete remission rate（P = 0.012,0.051 and 0.086,respectively）.We further developed an easy scoring system for predicting prognosis and response to induction therapy in older AML patients.Patients who had lower scores showed significantly longer OS and RFS（P = 0.0006 and 0.1001,respectively） and higher CR rate（P = 0.014）.Our research is limited by its retrospective nature and the results from our study need to be further validated by prospective randomized clinical trials.     

Enhanced Anti-Leukemic Effects through Induction of Immunomodulating Microenvironment by Blocking CXCR4 and PD-L1 in an AML Mouse Model

Previously, we found that dual therapy by the CXCR4 inhibitor Plerixafor and cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C) effectively eradicated leukemia cells and concurrently activated immune cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). To reveal the significance of programmed death-ligand1 (PD-L1) in AML and as a strategic approach, we investigated the anti-leukemic effect of a triple combinational therapy by utilizing Plerixafor and anti-PD-L1 in combination with chemotherapy in an AML mouse model. We examined leukemic myeloid blast cells in multiple organs after the successive treatment with Ara-C, Plerixafor, and anti-PD-L1. The results showed that noticeable benefits of triple combinational therapy for eradication of myeloid blast cells in vivo with prolonged survival rates. The frequencies of regulatory T cells (Tregs), monocytic-myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs), and granulocytic-myeloid-derived suppressor cells (G-MDSCs), in the peripheral blood of leukemic mice were consistently decreased, even when mice were sacrificed alive at D + 26 after completion of the triple combinational therapy, compared to the other subgroups. These findings imply that the modulation by the triple combinational therapy may lead to more efficient leukemic myeloid blast cell ablation through the suppression of Tregs or M-MDSCs and G-MDSCs in AML. Although Plerixafor and PD-L1 antagonist do not have a direct anti-leukemic role, our results provide some clues and guidelines to develop clinically therapeutic strategies for chemotherapy-resistant patients by the modulation of leukemic microenvironments.