Leukemic Phase (leukemic + phase)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Anaplastic large cell lymphoma in leukemic phase: Extraordinarily high white blood cell count

PATHOLOGY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2009
Jacqueline T. Nguyen
Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is a distinct type of T/null-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that commonly involves nodal and extranodal sites. The World Health Organization of lymphoid neoplasms recognizes two types: anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) positive or ALK negative, the former as a result of abnormalities involving the ALK gene at chromosome 2p23. Patients with ALCL rarely develop a leukemic phase of disease, either at the time of initial presentation or during the clinical course. Described herein is a patient with ALK+ ALCL, small cell variant, associated with the t(2;5)(p23;q35), who initially presented with leukemic involvement and an extraordinarily high leukocyte count of 529 × 109/L, which subsequently peaked at 587 × 109/L. Despite chemotherapy the patient died 2½ months after diagnosis. In the literature review 20 well-documented cases are identified of ALCL in leukemic phase reported previously, with a WBC ranging from 15 to 151 × 109/L. Leukemic phase of ALCL occurs almost exclusively in patients with ALK+ ALCL, most often associated with the small cell variant and the t(2;5)(p23;q35), similar to the present case. Patients with leukemic phase ALK+ ALCL appear to have a poorer prognosis than most patients with ALK+ ALCL. [source]


Pediatric ALK+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma with t(3;8)(q26.2;q24) translocation and c-myc rearrangement terminating in a leukemic phase

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF HEMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
Sara Monaco
Abstract Pediatric ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK+ ALCL) is usually associated with a favorable prognosis. ALK+ ALCL associated with a leukemic phase is uncommon, but has been associated with an aggressive clinical course and unfavorable prognosis. Overexpression of c-myc has been shown to be a consistent finding in ALK+, but not ALK-negative ALCL (ALK, ALCL), and the c-myc gene is considered a downstream target of deregulated ALK signaling. We describe a pediatric ALK+ ALCL with a leukemic phase at relapse. Similar to other rare cases described in the literature, it followed an aggressive clinical course despite multiple regimens of chemotherapy and bone marrow transplantation. Lymphoma cells showed aberrant ALK expression and c-myc overexpression. In addition to the characteristic t(2;5)(p23;q35) translocation, a t(3;8)(q26.2;q24) translocation was also present, and c-myc gene rearrangement was confirmed by FISH analysis. The findings in this case demonstrate the association of peripheral blood leukemic involvement and aggressive clinical course, and suggest that other factors, such as c-myc rearrangement, may be responsible for the aggressive clinical behavior in ALK+ ALCL. Am. J. Hematol., 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]