Non-treatment-related chronic myeloid leukemia as a second malignancy

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Following Treatment for Primary Neoplasms or Other Medical Conditions

OBJECTIVES

Therapy-related chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) has been reported, but its clinical presentation and pathologic features have not yet been well characterized.

METHODS

Twenty-one cases of CML following treatment for primary diseases were collected and retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTS

The clinical presentation, pathologic features, and cytogenetic profile were similar to de novo CML. In particular, those with an isolated Philadelphia chromosome constituted 88.9% of our cases, and additional aberrations characteristic of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (AML/MDS) were not identified in this study. The patients responded to imatinib/derivatives and survived with limited follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Therapy-related CML has a clinical presentation, pathologic features, and cytogenetic profile akin to de novo CML. Absence of additional significant aberrations seems to suggest a pathogenesis different from therapy-related AML/MDS. Therapy-related CML exhibits a robust therapeutic response to imatinib/derivatives and favorable clinical outcomes similar to de novo CML.

Development of chronic myeloid leukaemia in patients treated with anti-VEGF therapies for clear cell renal cell cancer

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors are novel therapies targeting specific cellular signalling pathways. Sunitinib and sorafenib primarily block tyrosine kinase receptors involved in the progression of many tumours, including clear cell renal cell cancer (ccRCC). Although developed to target selected receptors, it is becoming apparent that they inhibit other kinases; this may result in the development of unexpected side effects. This is potentially dangerous as kinases on noncancerous cells are also inhibited. TKI off-target effects contributing to cardiotoxicity, hypothyroidism, hypertension, fatigue, hair depigmentation, hand-foot syndrome and gastrointestinal perforation have been described. We report three patients (3/412) treated with sunitinib and sorafenib who developed chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) during treatment for ccRCC, proposing a molecular mechanism of tyrosine kinase inhibitors action on bone marrow cells that might be co-responsible for CML development.

Chronic myeloid leukemia as a secondary malignancy after lymphoma in a child. A case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in children is very rare. CML occurring as a secondary malignancy in individuals treated for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is also rare.

CASE REPORT

We present the case of a 5-year-old female patient who developed a right orbital mass that was diagnosed as DLBCL. 9 months after receiving treatment for DLBCL, she presented with a white cell count of 250,000/mm(3). Peripheral blood and bone marrow (BM) evaluation revealed a myeloproliferative disorder. Cytogenetic and molecular studies demonstrated the presence of t(9;22). CML following DLBCL has not been previously described in the younger population. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a child who developed a CML as a second malignancy after DLBCL. Therapy-related CML and non-therapy-related secondary CML are discussed as potential explanations of this highly unusual clinical presentation.

CONCLUSION

Hematological disorders such as CML may occur after lymphomas. With the increased use of BM cytogenetic studies during staging for lymphoid malignancies, future studies may be able to clarify the question of whether the CML clone in some of these patients existed before treatment for lymphoma.

Chronic myeloid leukemia as a secondary malignancy after ALK-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma

The development of Philadelphia chromosome-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in the adolescent population is very rare. CML occurring as a secondary malignancy in individuals treated for anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is also rare. We present the case of a 16-year-old adolescent boy who developed a right orbital mass that was diagnosed as ALCL with the t(2;5)(p23;q25) chromosomal aberration. Four years after receiving treatment for ALCL, he presented with a swollen leg and a white cell count of 431,000. Peripheral blood and bone marrow evaluation revealed a myeloproliferative disorder. Cytogenetic and molecular studies demonstrated the presence of t(9;22). We present the histopathologic, molecular, and cytogenetic findings of this patient's initial presentation with systemic ALCL as well as his secondary presentation with CML 4 years later. Therapy-related CML and non-therapy-related secondary CML are discussed as potential explanations of this highly unusual clinical presentation.