Osteoporosis resulting from acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a 7-year-old boy: a case report

PET/CT for the Opportunistic Screening of Osteoporosis and Fractures in Cancer Patients

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

In this review, we outline the different etiologies of osteoporosis in the oncologic setting and describe the basis for using PET/CT as screening tool for osteoporosis with a focus on the radiotracers [18F]FDG and [18F]NaF.

RECENT FINDINGS

Osteoporosis is a condition commonly affecting cancer patients due to their age, cancer-specific treatment agents, and effects of cancer. In terms of the unifying mechanism, decreased ratio of osteoblast-bone formation to osteoclast-bone resorption is responsible for causing osteoporosis. PET/CT, a crucial metabolic imaging modality in the oncologic imaging, could be a useful tool for the opportunistic screening of osteoporosis. There are two approaches with which osteoporosis could be identified with PET/CT-using either the (1) CT- based or (2) PET- based approaches. While the CT-based approach has been used with [18F]FDG PET/CT, both CT- and PET-based approaches can be employed with [18F]NaF-PET/CT as [18F]NaF is a radiotracer specific for osteoblast activity.

Dysuria and Vaginal Pain, Unusual Manifestations of B-acute Lymphoblastic Lymphoma

Urinary symptoms are one of the most common reasons for emergency visits in females of pediatric age group and can be associated with various conditions like infections (most common), sexual trauma and rarely neoplastic processes. Here, we report a case of a 7-year-old female who presented in the emergency multiple times with the complaints of urinary symptoms and vaginal pain and was empirically treated with antibiotics and antifungals without symptomatic improvement. Her blood tests, physical examination during this time remained unrevealing. She was then transferred to our institution on her third emergency visit for further evaluation. On imaging studies, she was noted to have expansile lesions on her vertebral body at the L4 and T6 levels with compressive myelopathy with multiple bone and soft tissue lesions throughout her lower extremities. Patient developed saddle anesthesia requiring emergent decompression and biopsy of the epidural mass with the final pathology coming back as B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma. B-ALL/B-LBL is the most common pediatric hematologic malignancy and usually presents with fever, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, bone pain and bleeding. Occasionally, atypical presentations like bone and joint pain, osteoporosis, palpable paravertebral mass have been described. However, this is the first case report to describe a very unusual and unfamiliar presentation of this disease causing significant diagnostic difficulty resulting in delayed treatment. This case report can aid as a reminder that unusual pain or any nonspecific manifestations in pediatric patients, refractory to common treatment should be investigated with extreme diligence not to miss this neoplastic process.

Osteohematology: To be or Notch to be

Osteohematology is an emerging research field that studies the crosstalk between hematopoietic and bone stromal cells, to elucidate the mechanisms of hematological and skeletal malignancies and diseases. The Notch is an evolutionary conserved developmental signaling pathway, with critical roles in embryonic development by controlling cell proliferation and differentiation. However, the Notch pathway is also critically involved in cancer initiation and progression, such as osteosarcoma, leukemia, and multiple myeloma. The Notch-mediated malignant cells dysregulate bone and bone marrow cells in the tumour microenvironment, resulting in disorders ranging from osteoporosis to bone marrow dysfunction. To date, the complex interplay of Notch signaling molecules in hematopoietic and bone stromal cells is still poorly understood. In this mini-review, we summarize the crosstalk between cells in bone and bone marrow and their influence under the Notch signaling pathway in physiological conditions and in tumour microenvironment.

Prolonged lumbosacral pain as the initial presentation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia in an adult: A case report

RATIONALE

The differential diagnosis of conditions manifesting as bone and joint pain is complex. Although many individuals with acute leukemia experience bone pain, lumbosacral pain as an early feature of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is rare.

PATIENT CONCERNS

Here we report a case of an adult who presented with a 7-month history of persistent lumbosacral pain which had become more severe during the previous month.

DIAGNOSES

Prior to referral, his full blood count revealed no abnormalities, and a computerized tomography scan revealed mild bone hyperplasia of his lumbar vertebrae, with disc herniations of L3-S1. His blood biochemistry and urinary test results had been normal. After referral to our clinic, tests of the morphology, immunology, cytogenetics, and molecular biology of his bone marrow led to a diagnosis of MLL-AF4 fusion positive B-cell ALL.

INTERVENTIONS

Prior to his referral, he had been treated with painkillers by local doctors. The painkillers initially provided pain relief, but their effect wore off over time. After diagnosis, he was started on an adult ALL chemotherapy protocol.

OUTCOMES

His symptoms resolved within a week of starting chemotherapy. At his most recent assessment, 10 months after diagnosis, he was on maintenance chemotherapy and in remission.

LESSONS

This case illustrates that prolonged lumbosacral pain may be a symptom of a life-threatening condition, rather than only attributable to chronic inflammation or disk herniations. Therefore, clinicians need to pay attention to subtle differences in the clinical presentation of patients with lumbosacral pain.

Back pain: An unusual manifestation of acute lymphoblastic leukemia - A case report and review of literature

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) presented with bone pain and leukopenia is a well-recognized complex. Bone and joint pain are seen as presenting symptoms in 25% of patients with acute leukemia, but generalized osteopenia and vertebral complications are less common. Back pain due to vertebral changes as an early feature has been infrequently reported. We report a case of a 9-year-old female child who presented with back pain for 3 weeks. Blood counts and peripheral smear were normal. X-ray of the spine showed wedge-shaped deformity in L3–L5 vertebrae. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine confirmed the lytic lesions of L3–L5 vertebrae. Infective etiological evaluation was normal. Bone marrow aspiration revealed pre-B-cell lymphoblastic leukemia. She was started on ALL protocol and pain subsided within a week, and remodeling of the bony lesions could be seen 2 months later. This case highlights that spinal involvement may be a presenting feature despite normal peripheral blood counts.

Atypical Presentation of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in a 7 Year Old Child

Seven year child, who had intussusception 4 month before, readmitted for fever and walking difficulty. On examination, child had mild pallor and kyphosis of the spine but no organomegaly, lymphadenopathy or bone pain . Further evaluation revealed hypercalcemia, diffuse osteoporosis with vertebral fracture. Peripheral smear showed no blasts or pancytopenia. Bone marrow aspiration turned out to be a pre B cell ALL. This child had many atypical presentations like intussusception, osteoporosis, vertebral collapse and hypercalcemia without any classical features of ALL.