Acute lymphoblastic leukemia with multiple cytogenetic abnormalities secondary to treatment of Ewing's sarcoma

Second primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia in adults: a SEER analysis of incidence and outcomes

We conducted a surveillance epidemiology and end results (SEER)-based analysis to describe the incidence and characteristics of second primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (sALL) among adults (≥18 years) with a history of primary malignancies (1M). Standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) of sALL cases were calculated by site and 1M stage. We also evaluated the differences in 5-year sALL survival by age, site, and extent of 1M, latency of sALL after 1M, and evidence of underlying racial/ethnic disparity. We identified 10,956 patients with de-novo/primary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (1ALL) and 772 with sALL. Women (49.1% vs. 42.9%), white patients (72.0% vs. 59.5%), older patients (58.8% vs. 25.2%; age ≥65 years), and patients diagnosed between 2003 and 2012 (66.8% vs. 53.9%) had a higher proportion of sALL compared with 1ALL. There was a significantly inferior median 5-year survival for sALL patients compared to 1ALL (6 vs. 15 months; HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.10-1.31, P < 0.001). The median latency period was 60.0 months; the most common 1M among sALL patients were breast (17.9%) and prostate (17.4%). Patients with any 1M were at increased risk of developing sALL (SIR 1.76, 95% CI 1.58-1.95, P < 0.001). Hematological-1M sites had significantly higher SIRs (hematological-SIR 7.35; solid-SIR 1.33; P < 0.001). We observed a significant increase in sALL incidence after a 1M and a significantly worse 5-year survival with different demographic characteristics from 1ALL. There is a need to define appropriate screening methods for patients surviving their primary cancer.

Therapy-related acute lymphoblastic leukemia with MLL rearrangement following treatment of Burkitt's leukemia

The occurrence of therapy-related acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is rare and, to our knowledge, is not reported in patients treated for Burkitt's leukemia. We report on a child with ALL with translocation t(4;11)(q21;q23) involving the MLL gene, 13 months after chemotherapy for Burkitt's leukemia. This present observation indicates that caution should be exercised in using high cumulative doses of DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors in such patients.

Concomitant Ewing sarcoma and acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a 5-year-old girl

Malignancies from the Ewing family of tumors and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are not known to be associated with each other. A 5-year-old girl was incidentally found to suffer from acute lymphoblastic leukemia during bone marrow staging for Ewing sarcoma of the radius. The simultaneous presence of two distinct neoplasms was confirmed by RT-PCR, with EWS/FLI1 type 1 rearrangement in the bone tumor and TEL/AML1 rearrangement in the marrow. She was treated with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery and was in remission of both diseases 31 months after diagnosis.

Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia secondary to chemoradiotherapy for Ewing sarcoma. Report of two cases and concise review of the literature

Survivors of childhood solid tumors including Ewing sarcoma (ES) have an increased risk of secondary malignant neoplasms (SMNs) as a consequence of exposure to chemotherapy and/or radiation (see: Bhatia S, Sklar C. Nat Rev Cancer 2002;2:124-132). The most common hematologic SMNs are myelodysplasia (MDS) and acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is uncommon in this patient population, and Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) ALL in particular, is rare. We report herein two cases of young adult patients who were both diagnosed with Ph+ ALL 19 years after successful treatment for ES with combined modality therapy. A review of the relevant literature follows the case reports.

Characteristics of secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia with L3 morphology in adult patients

Secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia (sALL) is an uncommon condition and sALL with L3 morphology is still less frequent. Here, we compare the characteristics of available cases of L3 sALL (16 patients, including 12 previously published cases and 4 personal cases) to those of de novo L3 ALL and of non L3 sALL. Two patients with L3 sALL obtained a CR after aggressive treatment of their leukemia. Compared with 24 patients from the literature with de novo L3 ALL, L3 sALL patients were characterized by an older age (median 46 vs. 29.5 years, p = 0.0003) and by a poor prognosis (complete responses: 2/16 vs. 19/24, p = 0.0001, median survival: 0.46 month vs. undetermined, p < 0.0001). In comparison with 19 patients from the literature with non L3 sALL, L3 sALL patients were characterized by a high Male/Female ratio (14/2 vs. 8/11, p = 0.01), a frequent history of Hodgkin's disease (12/16 vs. 7/19, p = 0.04) and, again, by a poor prognosis (complete responses: 2/16 vs. 13/18, p = 0.0001, median survival 0.46 vs. 13 months, p = 0.001). In conclusion, though based on a small group of heterogeneously treated patients, some characteristics of L3 sALL, seem to emerge, compared both with de novo L3 ALL and with non L3 sALL, the most prominent being its extremely poor prognosis.

Clinical and epidemiological features of acute lymphoblastic leukemia following a previous malignancy

Secondary malignancies represent a relevant complication of chemotherapy employed for a previous cancer. Acute leukemias represent the most frequent secondary malignancy in the first decade following primary neoplasms; secondary leukemias are generally myeloid and can be preceeded by a myelodysplastic syndrome. The biological and epidemiological characteristics of secondary acute myeloid are well known and have been the subject of numerous reports and reviews in the last few years. The observation of a secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia is considered rare, and the correlation with antecedent therapies is not definitive. Most of reported cases are single reports, and no large study has been performed to investigate the real importance of this problem. In this review we report data of the current literature on secondary acute lymphoblastic leukemia, both in adults and children, in order to analyze its incidence and clinical and laboratory features.