Acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosed by intra-oral myeloid sarcoma. A case report

Isolated Myeloid Sarcoma Masquerading as Scattered Abscesses in a Septic Patient: A Case Report and Literature Review

Introduction

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is also known as chloroma, extramedullary acute myeloid leukemia (AML), or granulocytic sarcoma. MS is a rare extramedullary infiltration of myeloid cells, most commonly collecting in the skin and causing a small number of localized lesions. It is strongly associated with AML; however, MS more commonly occurs after diagnosis of AML is previously established or after previous treatment of AML.

Case Presentation

This case describes a patient with an atypical presentation of MS with no known history of AML and up to 18 lesions identified on CT scan that were previously being monitored for months by her primary care physician. She presented with sepsis attributed to choledocholithiasis versus bacteremia from scattered abscesses versus osteomyelitis of her left knee; nonetheless, lactic acid failed to improve after common bile duct stent with biliary sphincterotomy/dilation or with incision and drainage and empiric antibiotics. Core needle biopsy of her left abdominal sidewall was eventually positive for MS, but she unfortunately developed multiorgan failure with symptomatic hypercalcemia refractory to treatment and ultimately decided to go to comfort care rather than pursue further workup and treatment. Although bone marrow biopsy was ultimately not performed to rule out synchronous AML, this is likely a case of isolated MS due to her scattered skin lesions being present for months prior to hospitalization and acute illness.

Conclusion

This case highlights the importance of maintaining MS in the differential diagnosis and the importance of early diagnostic core needle biopsy for patients with persistent skin lesions of unknown origin.

Top Ten Lymphoproliferative Lesions Not to Miss When Evaluating Oral Ulcer Biopsies

BACKGROUND

Oral ulcers represent a full thickness loss of the mucosal epithelium leading to exposure of the submucosal connective tissue. These are common and usually self-limited lesions, although they may sometimes result from neoplasms, most commonly squamous cell carcinoma. Lymphoproliferative disorders may be difficult to diagnose in apthous ulcers since they mimic reactive inflammation.

METHODS

This review presents ten rare oral lymphoid proliferations which should not be missed when assessing oral ulcer biopsies.

RESULTS

The ten lesions include several with diagnostic cells which look similar to the histiocytes of a reactive inflammatory ulcer, including Rosai-Dorfman disease, reticulohistiocytoma, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, and traumatic ulcerative granuloma. Other lesions, such as EBV-positive mucocutaneous ulcer, extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue, and plasmablastic lymphoma have lymphoid and/or plasma cell differentiation that mimic the reactive lymphocytes and plasma cells found in reactive ulcers. Two dendritic cell lesions, follicular dendritic cell sarcoma and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm, both have distinct phenotypes which are required to make an accurate diagnosis.

CONCLUSION

Each of these lesions are diagnosed by evaluating their histology, along with their phenotypic profile, which is sometimes enhanced by pertinent molecular findings.

Intraoral myeloid sarcoma presenting as toothache and gingival mass

A female patient in her 70s with a medical history of myelodysplastic neoplasm presented to the outpatient department with a 4-month history of toothache, painful gingival swelling and loose teeth that required extractions. Intraoral examination revealed a swelling in the lower anterior portion of the mandible, which displaced her teeth. Incisional biopsy of the gingival lesion revealed dense aggregates of atypical round cells which stained positive for CD43, CD45, CD33 and myeloperoxidase, consistent with myeloid sarcoma. Subsequent bone marrow biopsy displayed hypercellular marrow with immature myeloid elements and 21% myeloblasts by flow cytometry, compatible with diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). The patient initially went into remission after treatment but later died of AML relapse after 18 months.

Spine Myeloid Sarcoma: A Case Series with Review of Literature

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a malignant extramedullary tumor consisting of immature cells of myeloid origin. It may precede, present concurrently or follow acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in de novo case or may also be present and might be the only manifestation of recurrent AML, myelodysplastic syndrome, or chronic myeloid leukemia. It frequently involves skin, orbit, bone, periosteum, lymph nodes, and gastrointestinal tract, soft tissue, central nervous system, and testis. Because of its different localization and symptoms, and the lack of diagnostic algorithm, MS is a real diagnostic challenge particularly in patients without initial bone marrow involvement. The correct diagnosis of MS is important for optimum therapy, which is often delayed because of a high misdiagnosis rate. We reported three cases of MS derived from spine presented with back pain, paraplegia, paraparesis, respectively, and reviewed the relevant literature.

Oral manifestations of leukemia as part of early diagnosis

Introduction

The oral cavity can present the first clinical manifestations of leukemia, therefore; it is important to recognize their principal characteristics.

Objective

To identify oral manifestations as the first clinical signs of leukemia.

Methods

This is an integrative review, that gathered data from articles with oral manifestations of leukemia as part of its first clinical features. The were included case reports, case series, clinical research, or reviews with case reports. The variables that were considered relevant: age, sex, sites of the oral lesions, characteristics of the oral lesions, medical history and physical examination, time of evolution, radiographic examination, blood test results, initial diagnosis, differential diagnosis and final diagnosis.

Results

A total of 31 studies were included, with a total of 33 individuals identified. There were 19 (57.57%) males and 14 (42.42%) females. The age range was from 1.6 to 74 years. Acute myeloid leukemia (72.72%) and acute lymphoid leukemia (18.18%) presented more oral manifestations as the first clinical signs of the disease. All individuals with leukemia presented lesions, such as ulcer, erosion, bleeding, ecchymosis, color change of the bluish or pale mucous membranes and areas of tissue necrosis. Hard tissue lesions were less frequent, being 6 (18.18%).

Conclusion

The first clinical manifestations of leukemia can be present in the oral cavity, mainly in acute myeloid leukemia. The principal oral tissues affected were gingival tissue, buccal mucosa and hard and/or soft palate. When hard tissues, such as the maxilla bone or mandible bone were affected, dental mobility was the principal clinical sign.

Oral myeloid sarcoma as an uncommon manifestation of acute myeloid leukemia: A case series and review of the literature

BACKGROUND AND OVERVIEW

Oral myeloid sarcoma (MS) is an extramedullary tumor that can occur in the setting of acute myeloid leukemia, either as the first sign of an underlying disease or later in the course of disease. The authors' aim was to present the clinical features of oral MS and review the literature.

CASE DESCRIPTION

Case 1 was an 82-year-old woman with an asymptomatic erythematous swelling on the maxillary gingiva and no history of hematologic malignancy. Case 2, a 65-year-old man, and case 3, a 58-year-old woman, each had a history of acute myeloid leukemia and a painful ulcer on the palatal mucosa and an asymptomatic ulcer on the lower lip mucosa, respectively. Case 1 was treated with focal radiation then chemotherapy and achieved complete remission initially, but died of relapse 2 years after diagnosis. Case 2 received radiotherapy and immunotherapy and had a complete response. Case 3 received chemotherapy and achieved remission initially, but relapsed and is undergoing investigational targeted therapies.

CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Oral MS can manifest as gingival or mucosal swelling or ulceration and can indicate onset or relapse of associated hematologic malignancies, which often have a poor prognosis. Because patients with oral findings are likely to seek treatment from their dentists first, oral clinicians should maintain a broad differential diagnosis list when evaluating oral lesions, especially if treatment prescribed for a more common diagnosis fails to resolve the lesion.

Acute Myeloid Sarcoma: An Unusual Cause of Diarrhea

A 62-year-old man with a past medical history of hypothyroidism was admitted for diarrhea and abdominal pain for three weeks. Initial workup for diarrhea was negative. His condition deteriorated after hospitalization. He underwent sigmoidoscopy which showed rectosigmoid mucosal ulceration. Pathology showed leukemic cells infiltration of the mucosa. The patient underwent bone marrow biopsy which confirmed the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). He received induction chemotherapy and his symptoms improved.

Myeloproliferative Disorder with Intraoral Lesions in an Olive Baboon (Papio anubis)

Spontaneous myeloid leukemia is rarely reported in non-human primates. We report a case of myeloproliferative disorder suggestive of acute myeloid leukemia with intraoral lesions in an olive baboon (Papio anubis). Clinical pathology, radiology, gross examination (pre-mortem and post-mortem), histopathology, and immunohistochemistry findings are provided.

Oral manifestations in stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia is a highly aggressive malignancy with a high morbidity rate, for which an accurate and rapid diagnostic is essential. Acute myeloid leukemia manifestations frequently include oral abnormalities. Still, there is a limited number of studies reporting the incidence of oral manifestations in acute leukemia, the prevalence of periodontal status and periodontal parameters in these patients. Our aim was to emphasize the importance of early recognition by the dental practitioners of oral cavity manifestations as signs of acute myeloid leukemia, so that prompt referral to the hematologists is being done, and appropriate treatment is offered.

Myeloid sarcoma of the oral cavity: A case report and review of 89 cases from the literature

Myeloid sarcoma is a tumor mass of immature myeloid or granulocytic cells that affects extramedullary anatomic sites, including uncommonly the oral cavity. A 24-year-old female was referred for evaluation of a fast growing painful gingival swelling lasting 2 weeks, associated with fever, fatigue, and cervical lymphadenopathy. Intraoral examination showed a bluish swelling on the right posterior lower gingiva exhibiting necrotic surface. Incisional biopsy of the gingival lesion displayed diffuse infiltration of undifferentiated tumor cells with granulocytic appearance, strongly immunopositive for CD99, myeloperoxidase and Ki-67 (60%), and negative for CD20, CD3, CD34 and TdT. Blood tests presented a severe pancytopenia, and genetic analysis confirmed the diagnosis of acute promyelocytic leukemia. The final diagnosis was of oral myeloid sarcoma associated with acute promyelocytic leukemia with t(15;17). The patient was submitted to chemotherapy but died of the disease one month later. The clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical features of the present case are compared with the 89 cases of oral myeloid sarcoma previously reported in the English-language literature.

Key words:Myeloid sarcoma, chloroma, granulocytic sarcoma, gingiva, oral, acute promyelocytic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia.

Leukemic Oral Manifestations and their Management

Leukemia is the most common neoplastic disease of the white blood cells which is important as a pediatric malignancy. Oral manifestations occur frequently in leukemic patients and may present as initial evidence of the disease or its relapse. The symptoms include gingival enlargement and bleeding, oral ulceration, petechia, mucosal pallor, noma, trismus and oral infections. Oral lesions arise in both acute and chronic forms of all types of leukemia. These oral manifestations either may be the result of direct infiltration of leukemic cells (primary) or secondary to underlying thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, or impaired granulocyte function. Despite the fact that leukemia has long been known to be associated with oral lesions, the available literature on this topic consists mostly of case reports, without data summarizing the main oral changes for each type of leukemia. Therefore, the present review aimed at describing oral manifestations of all leukemia types and their dental management. This might be useful in early diagnosis, improving patient outcomes.

Intraoral Myeloid sarcoma with bilateral involvement: Case report

Background: Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a solid malignant tumour associated with infiltration of immature myeloid precursor cells in an extramedullary site. The term MS has replaced the term granulocytic sarcoma and chloroma, which were used in the past. MS in the oral cavity is very uncommon, with less of 40 cases reported until recently. Case Report: We report the first case, the features, and the diagnostic sequence, of intraoral MS with bilateral palatal involvement, which presented as an initial manifestation, and preceded the appearance of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Diagnostic confirmation of such oral mucosal lesions usually requires biopsy, histopathological examination with additional immunohistochemical investigation. MS can occur during the course of acute or chronic myelogenous leukemia, and myelodysplastic syndromes. In the vast majority of the reported cases, only one site was involved with a single intraoral MS lesion, and the cases predominantly associated with AML. Conclusion: The majority of intraoral MS occurs in patients with known AML, but in some of them, presented as an initial manifestation, and preceded the appearance of the disease. Therefore, clinicians should carefully evaluate all unusual oral lesions of unknown origin.

Immunohistochemical patterns in the differential diagnosis of rhinopharyngeal granulocytic sarcoma

Granulocytic sarcoma (GS) is a rare extramedullary manifestation of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). GS may develop simultaneously to AML or as a relapse of leukemia, particularly following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Subperiosteal bone, lymph nodes and skin are commonly involved, whereas rhinopharyngeal involvement is less common, with only 14 cases reported in the literature. Due to its rarity, rhinopharyngeal GS may lead to diagnostic pitfalls, particularly when it is poorly differentiated or is without concomitant marrow involvement. Thus, immunohistochemical findings play a key role in diagnosis. The current report describes a case of a 53-year-old female suffering from rhinopharyngeal GS and with a history of AML treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, focusing on the importance of the immunohistochemical pattern to assess the right diagnosis. Recent studies have demonstrated that the immunophenotype is of utmost importance for the diagnosis of GS. The high expression of myeloperoxidase (MPO) is common in GS; however, ~30% of GSs do not contain MPO. Therefore, the presence of other markers is required to confirm the diagnosis of GS.

Myeloid sarcoma of the Gingiva with myelodysplastic syndrome: A Case Report

The purpose of this report is to present a case of myeloid sarcoma of the gingiva with myelodysplastic syndrome.A 52-year-old male diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome with skin lesions presented with gingival swelling and gingival redness involving the maxillary left second premolar and the maxillary left first molar. The patient was referred from the Department of Hematology for a biopsy of the lesion. Full-thickness flaps were elevated and inflamed, and neoplastic soft tissue was removed from a lesion and the samples sent for histopathologic analysis.Histopathologic results showed leukemic cell infiltration beneath the oral epithelium, and the specimen was positive for the leukocyte marker. The diagnosis was myeloid sarcoma. Uneventful healing was observed at 2-week follow-up, but relapse of the lesions with the hyperplastic and neoplastic tissue was noted at 4-week follow-up. Further follow-up or treatment could not be performed because the patient did not visit at the next follow-up.In conclusion, myeloid sarcoma should be a diagnosis option for gingival growth because it can involve intraoral lesion. In this report, a biopsy was performed due to referral considering the patient's medical history. Although myeloid sarcoma in the oral cavity is extremely rare, a small biopsy and consultation with a hematologist may be beneficial for patients and may provide a differential diagnosis.

[Myeloid sarcoma occurring in the gingiva: a case report]

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a localized extramedullary mass of immature granulocytic cells. MS may be found in any location, but intraoral occurrence is rare. This report presents a case of MS in the gingiva.

A fatal case of rapid gingival enlargement: Case report with brief review

Myeloid sarcoma (MS) is a rare extramedullary tumor composed of primitive granulocytic cells. These lesions are commonly associated with other hematologic disorders such as myeloid leukemia and other myeloproliferative neoplasms. Although extremely rare in the oral cavity, this lesion was reported in gingiva, palate, buccal mucosa and extraction sockets. MS is an aggressive lesion associated with poor prognosis. Early identification and prompt treatment holds the key for increasing the disease-free period in these patients. In this context, we report a rare and aggressive case of MS, which ran a fatal course in a 45-year-old female patient.

Temporomandibular joint arthritis as an initial presentation of acute myeloid leukemia with myelodysplasia-related changes: a report of an unusual case

PURPOSE

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) often present with fatigue and severe pancytopenia. We report the case of a 68-year-old woman with no significant medical history who presented with 1 year of progressively worsening bilateral temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. She was otherwise asymptomatic. A computed tomography scan revealed degenerative joint disease in both TMJs. Bilateral TMJ replacement was performed.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The excised TMJ tissue underwent formalin fixation and decalcification, and routine hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections were generated.

RESULTS

Immunohistochemical stains showed a population of monotonous cells in the marrow space expressing CD33, CD43, and myeloperoxidase, confirming the diagnosis of myeloid neoplasm. Subsequent bone marrow biopsy with flow cytometry confirmed AML with myelodysplasia-related changes.

CONCLUSIONS

Adult patients with AML can rarely present with musculoskeletal complaints alone, which could delay the diagnosis. To our knowledge, this is the first report of AML with myelodysplasia-related changes presenting in a patient with TMJ degenerative joint disease that was otherwise asymptomatic.

Lateral pharyngeal wall myeloid sarcoma as a relapse of acute biphenotypic leukemia: a case report and review of the literature

Introduction

Myeloid sarcoma is a rare extramedullary malignant tumor composed of immature myeloid cells. The tumor can affect any part of the body. Involvement of the oral cavity and nasopharynx has been reported in 50 cases. We report a case describing myeloid sarcoma affecting the lateral pharyngeal wall.

Case presentation

A 31-year-old Arabian man who had acute biphenotypic leukemia treated with chemoradiation and allogeneic stem cell transplant was referred to our department with sore throat and a mass lesion in his lateral pharyngeal wall after failed antibiotic therapy. Biopsy of his lesion revealed myeloid sarcoma. He was referred to the Department of Hematology-Oncology for further evaluation that showed no other lesions.

The patient was diagnosed with isolated extramedullary myeloid sarcoma of his lateral pharyngeal wall as a relapse of acute biphenotypic leukemia and managed with chemoradiation.

Conclusions

Myeloid sarcoma of the pharynx is a rarely encountered malignancy in the practice of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery. It can develop de novo, but may also represent relapse of leukemia. Thus, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of any pharyngeal lesions in patients with leukemia.

Clinicopathologic features and responses to radiotherapy of myeloid sarcoma

Background

To evaluate clinicopathological features, radiotherapeutic parameters, and their associations with responses to radiotherapy (RT) in patients with myeloid sarcoma (MS).

Methods

We reviewed 20 patients receiving RT for MS lesions (in 43 RT courses) and analyzed the patients’ clinicopathologic features and radiotherapeutic parameters, and their associations with complete responses (CR) to RT using Fisher’s exact test and univariate logistic regression analysis. Generalized Estimating Equation was used to analyze all 43 irradiated lesions and account for the correlations in RT responses among lesions from the same patient.

Results

We found that the underlying hematological diseases of the evaluated patients were acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 14 patients (70%), chronic myeloid leukemia in 4 patients (20%), myelodysplastic syndrome with AML transformation in one patient (5%), and de novo MS in one patient (5%). Most patients (55%) received RT for MS at the time of relapse following bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The most common cytogenetic abnormality was t(8;21)(q22;q22). The median RT dose of 20 Gy (range 6–35 Gy), administered in 1.5-3.5 Gy fractions, provided a 63% CR rate. RT dose, sex, cytogenetics, and bone marrow status at the time of RT had no significant effect on CR. Younger age (<50 y, P = 0.06), BMT prior to RT (P = 0.05), and underlying AML (P = 0.05) were marginally associated with higher CR to RT.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that a modest RT dose (20-30 Gy) achieves good local control of MS. Age, previous BMT, and underlying hematologic disease can affect RT response.

Myeloid sarcoma of the head and neck region

CONTEXT

Myeloid sarcoma of the head and neck region can pose diagnostic challenges because of the low frequency of myeloid sarcoma and the potential for tumors of almost any lineage to occur in the head and neck.

OBJECTIVE

To study the clinicopathologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of myeloid sarcoma in the head and neck region and to review the differential diagnosis.

DESIGN

We searched for cases of myeloid sarcoma involving the head and neck region for a 24-year period at our institution. The medical records and pathology slides were reviewed. Additional immunohistochemical stains were performed.

RESULTS

We identified 17 patients, age 17 to 85 years. Most tumors involved the oral cavity. Myeloid sarcoma was the initial diagnosis in 9 patients (53%); the remaining 8 patients (47%) had a history of bone marrow disease. Immunohistochemical analysis using antibodies specific for lysozyme, CD43, and CD68 were highly sensitive for diagnosis but were not specific. By contrast, assessment for myeloperoxidase in this study was less sensitive but more specific. We also used antibodies specific for CD11c and CD33 in a subset of cases, and these reagents seem helpful as well.

CONCLUSIONS

The clinical presentation of myeloid sarcoma involving the head and neck, particularly the mouth, is often nonspecific, and a high degree of suspicion for the possibility of myeloid sarcoma is needed. Immunohistochemistry is very helpful for establishing the diagnosis.

Case of pediatric acute promyelocytic leukemia presenting as extramedullary tumor of the mandible

BACKGROUND

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a malignant subtype of acute myeloid leukemia caused by the PML-retinoic acid receptor (RAR)α fusion gene. APL may be discovered in adulthood and diagnosed after spontaneous gingival bleeding or difficulty in hemostasis after oral surgery such as tooth extraction. However, APL is extremely rare in children.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A 1-year-old boy presented with a mass on the mentum of the mandible. The marked periosteal reaction was seen on CT and MRI, leading to strong suspicion of a malignant bone-derived tumor such as a sarcoma. Chromosome banding by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) showed PML-RARα, confirming the diagnosis of APL. Treatment with tretinoin was immediately initiated. No signs of recurrence have been noted 1 year after treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

We report herein a rare case involving an infant with APL who presented with an extramedullary tumor of the mandible, whom we treated with good results.

A rare case of myeloid sarcoma presenting as an anorectal ulcer

Myeloid Sarcoma is a rare tumor composed of myeloblasts occurring at an extramedullary site like bones, or various soft tissues. Myeloid sarcoma may involve the gastrointestinal tract very rarely either solitarily, or occurring simultaneously with acute myeloid leukemia. Its diagnosis is challenging and needs biopsy and immunohistochemical staining. We are describing a case of myeloid sarcoma which presented as a painful anal ulcer mimicking an atypical fissure. Its appearance resembled crohn's disease on sigmoidoscopy. A biopsy of the ulcer along with histochemical staining led to the diagnosis of myeloid sarcoma. Our case demonstrates the need for aggressive evaluation of any common gastrointestinal complaint with an atypical presentation.