Acute lymphoblastic leukemia terminating as histiocytic medullary reticulosis

JAMA. 1975 Feb 24;231(8):838-40.

Abstract

A young man with acute lymphoblastic leukemia was treated with vincristine sulfate, prednisone, and intrathecally injected methotrexate sodium for central nervous system involvement. A good remission was induced, but three months later he had hepatosplenomegaly, an enlarging mediastinal mass, and progressive anemia. Histiocytic medullary reticulosis was confirmed by a bone marrow biopsy specimen. The patient died of respiratory failure because of infiltration of the lungs by malignant histiocytes.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Anemia / diagnosis
  • Autopsy
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • Erythrocytes
  • Hepatomegaly / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Lymphoid / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Lymphoid / pathology*
  • Lymph Nodes / pathology
  • Lymphatic Diseases / pathology*
  • Male
  • Methotrexate / therapeutic use
  • Phagocytosis
  • Prednisone / therapeutic use
  • Remission, Spontaneous
  • Respiratory Insufficiency / pathology
  • Sodium / therapeutic use
  • Splenomegaly / diagnosis
  • Sulfates / therapeutic use
  • Vincristine / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Sulfates
  • Vincristine
  • Sodium
  • Prednisone
  • Methotrexate