Improvement of Bone Marrow Necrosis by Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Substitution in a Pediatric Patient With Philadelphia Chromosome-positive Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract

Bone marrow necrosis (BMN) describes necrosis of the myeloid tissues without cortical bone involvement. Imatinib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, can trigger BMN during the treatment of malignant disease. In such cases, it is necessary to reduce imatinib dose or discontinue its administration, which could influence treatment outcomes. Here, we report a 6-year-old boy with Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who developed BMN in response to imatinib. We replaced imatinib with dasatinib, and necrotic lesions gradually disappeared and were never exacerbated. In Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia with BMN, tyrosine kinase inhibitor replacement may allow continued chemotherapy without intensity reduction.