Synchronous occurrence of breast carcinoma and acute myeloid leukemia: case report and review of the literature

Newer combination treatments for breast cancer coexisting with acute myeloid leukemia in the novel regimens era: A case report and literature review

The occurrence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with a simultaneous diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) is rarely reported in the literature. The present study reports the case of a 50-year-old female patient diagnosed with AML coexisting with metastatic BC. Following one cycle of treatment with azacytidine in combination with oral venetoclax for AML, the patient achieved complete remission with incomplete hematological recovery. In addition, the mass in the left breast was smaller following adjuvant chemotherapy. However, due to a refusal from the patient to accept an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), the patient succumbed 3 months after diagnosis due to septic shock from neutropenia following the third cycle of chemotherapy. Altogether, the present case report highlighted the application of venetoclax, an oral selective B-cell lymphoma-2 inhibitor, both in hematologic malignancies and solid neoplasms, as an effective therapeutic regimen. Considering the fatality rate associated with AML, allo-HSCT is the only available strategy that can be used to achieve the long-term survival of patients with AML and BC.

A Rare Case of Coexisting Breast Cancer and Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia

The occurrence of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) within six months from a diagnosis of breast cancer (BC) is rarely reported in the literature, and it is associated with a poor prognosis. We report herein the case of a 40-year-old woman referred to our centre affected by BC and simultaneous AML. The patient proved refractory to first line therapy and achieved complete remission (CR) with a clofarabine-based regimen followed by allogeneic stem cell transplantation (ASCT). Both during salvage chemotherapy and after ASCT, the patient presented severe infectious complications ( acute cholecistytis and Nocardia pneumonia, respectively) treated with surgery, and currently she is alive in CR for both diseases after 29 months of follow-up. The case highlights the importance of a diagnostic assessment of any unexplained cytopenia in association with solid neoplasia under treatment, underlining the feasibility and priority of a timely treatment of the haematological neoplasm in order to achieve long-term survival.

Appropriate Clinical Strategies for Breast Cancer Coexisting with Acute Myeloid Leukemia in the Genomic-Molecular Era: A Case Report

BACKGROUND

The coexistence of breast cancer (BC) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has rarely been reported. Considering the fatality of AML, the management of this condition is based on treating the AML immediately while putting BC treatment on hold.

CASE REPORT

Here, we report a synchronous occurrence of BC and AML. Prognostic factors for both BC and AML were determined by genomic and molecular evaluation. The evaluation for AML showed a relatively good prognosis, and we simultaneously conducted treatment for AML and BC. The patient has survived for more than 3 years, which makes this the case with the longest survival reported.

CONCLUSION

In patients with BC and AML, it is essential to determine the prognosis through a genomic and molecular evaluation. For a certain group of patients whose prognosis of AML is good, simultaneous or initial treatment of BC before treatment of AML may be appropriate.

Collision tumors with synchronous presentation of breast carcinoma and lymphoproliferative disorders in the axillary nodes of patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer: a case series

Although occurrence of a second tumor is a well-recognized phenomenon in patients with a treated malignancy, simultaneous presentation with a second primary malignancy ("collision tumor") is rare in patients with breast cancer. We report a series of 7 patients who were undergoing axillary nodal staging of a newly diagnosed breast cancer. Six patients were found to have collision tumors in their axillary lymph nodes consisting of metastatic breast cancer and a previously unknown lymphoproliferative disorder. In 1 additional patient, a lymph node biopsy of a palpable axillary node resulted in the diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer and lymphoma. Awareness and diagnosis of such collision tumors will lead to appropriate management of each malignancy.

Sentinel Lymph Node Surgery for Staging of Breast Carcinoma in Patients with Lymphoproliferative Disease

There are few reports confirming the validity of sentinel lymph biopsy in patients with a background of lymphoproliferative disease. We reviewed nine cases of women who underwent sentinel lymph node (SLN) surgery for staging of primary breast cancer with a diagnosis of lymphoproliferative disease. SLN identification rate was 100 per cent with a background of lymphoma in the sentinel node in eight of the nine patients. With a mean follow-up of 37 months, there have been no axillary recurrences in any of these patients. These cases illustrate that SLN staging is feasible and provides axillary staging information in women with breast cancer despite synchronous lymphoproliferative disease.

An Acute Leukaemia Masquerading as Immune Thrombocytopaenic Purpura (ITP)? A Case Report

This is a case report of a 35 year old female with diagnosed Immune Thrombocytopaenic Purpura (ITP) that was strangely followed by acute myeloid leukaemia at 10 months post diagnosis of ITP. She was managed as ITP using prednisolone 45 mg daily for 10 months with good response. She also synchronously carried a pregnancy to term and safe delivery. Shortly after delivery, she represented with gingival bleeding and peripheral film review and subsequent bone marrow cytology was in keeping with AML-M4 subtype. She died shortly after diagnosis without being able to receive chemotherapy.