Extramedullary blast crisis in a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia in complete cytogenetic and molecular remission on interferon-alpha therapy

Leuk Res. 2000 Aug;24(8):733-5. doi: 10.1016/s0145-2126(00)00039-4.

Abstract

We report the previously undescribed occurrence of extramedullary blast crisis in a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia in complete cytogenetic and molecular remission on interferon-alpha. Development of bilateral testicular swelling prompted a biopsy showing stromal infiltration with CD20 and TdT positive immature cells. On repeated examinations, the bone marrow remained BCR/ABL negative by RT-PCR analysis. However, the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) contained atypical lymphocytes positive for the P210 BCR-ABL product. Following treatment with testicular irradiation, intrathecal methotrexate, systemic chemotherapy and an unrelated donor transplant, the patient showed no evidence of disease until 9 months post-transplant, when he relapsed in lymphoid blast crisis in both bone marrow and CSF.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Blast Crisis*
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics
  • Genes, abl
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy*
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / genetics
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / pathology*
  • Male
  • Remission Induction

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Interferon-alpha
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl