[A case of acute myelogenous leukemia accompanied with myelofibrosis and megakaryocyte-like giant bizarre blasts]

Rinsho Byori. 1995 Oct;43(10):1078-82.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

A 45-year-old man was admitted with high fever and leukocytosis in August 1993. The diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML; M2) was made on the basis of morphological, cytochemical and immunological characteristics of the blasts in the bone marrow. The induction therapy with BHAC, daunorubicin, 6-MP was unsuccessful in achieving remission; the bone marrow biopsy specimen revealed the proliferation of the remaining leukemic cells and massive fibrosis accompanied with unusual megakaryocyte-like giant bizarre cells. These megakaryocyte-like giant cells were positive for myeloperoxidase and CD34, but not GPIIIa and factor VIII, indicating that those were derived from myelogenous stem cells. Following the low-dose Ara-C therapy, improvement of fibrosis and disappearance of these giant cells were observed in the bone marrow. After the reinduction therapy with high-dose Ara-C and MIT against markedly increased blasts, the patient died of systemic fungal infection. The presence of myelofibrosis and giant atypical blasts might allow resistance to therapy and poor prognosis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Blast Crisis / pathology*
  • Bone Marrow Cells*
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / pathology*
  • Male
  • Megakaryocytes / pathology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Primary Myelofibrosis / pathology*