Extramedullary relapse confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization study of an ear mass in acute promyelocytic leukemia

• Published in: International journal of hematology Vol. 79; no. 5; pp. 462 - 464
• Main Authors: LEE, Keun-Wook, YI, Jongyoun, NOE KYEONG KIM, YUN, Tak, KIM, Dae-Young, DONG SOON LEE, SUNG SUP PARK, HAN IK CHO, YOON, Sung-Soo, PARK, Seonyang, BYOUNG KOOK KIM
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer 01.06.2004; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acute promyeloid leukemia; Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Bone marrow; Bone mass; Chemotherapy; Chromosome Aberrations; Chromosomes, Human, Pair 15; Ear; Ear Neoplasms - genetics; Ear Neoplasms - pathology; Fluorescence; Fluorescence in situ hybridization; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Leukemia; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute - drug therapy; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute - genetics; Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute - pathology; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Male; Medical genetics; Medical sciences; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - diagnosis; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local - genetics; Polymerase chain reaction; Promyeloid leukemia; Remission; Retinoic acid; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Reverse transcription; Tretinoin; Chromosomal aberration; Promyelocytic leukemia; Relapse; Hematology; PML/RARα; Acute; Malignant hemopathy; Mass; Ear involvement; Acute promyelocytic leukemia; Fluorescence in situ hybridization; Ear; Abnormal chromosome; Extramedullary; Hybrid gene; M3 acute myelocytic leukemia; Chromosome translocation
• ISSN: 0925-5710; 1865-3774
• DOI: 10.1532/IJH97.A10320

A 40-year-old man with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) achieved complete remission after induction chemotherapy combined with all-trans-retinoic acid. A mass developed in the left ear 24 months later. Relapse of APL was suspected at morphologic examination of the biopsy specimen of the ear mass, but t(15;17) and PML/RAR alpha rearrangement were not detected by chromosomal, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis of bone marrow samples. FISH performed on the ear mass revealed t(15;17). To our knowledge, this case is the first reported case of extramedullary relapse of APL confirmed by FISH study of a biopsy specimen of extramedullary tissue.