Acute myeloid leukemia mimicking primary testicular neoplasm. Presentation of a case with review of literature

Eur J Haematol. 2003 Apr;70(4):242-5. doi: 10.1034/j.1600-0609.2003.00050.x.

Abstract

We describe a new unique case of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in a 21-yr-old male presenting with abdominal pain, bilateral testicular masses and gynecomastia. Further work-up with computed tomography of the chest, abdomen and pelvis revealed massive retroperitoneal, peripancreatic and mediastinal lymphadenopathy, suggesting primary testicular neoplasm. The patient was subjected to right orchiectomy that showed infiltration of testicular tissue with malignant cells, originally misinterpreted as undifferentiated carcinoma. Immunohistochemistry studies, however, showed these cells to be strongly positive for myeloperoxidase and CD45, indicating a myeloid cell origin. Bone marrow (BM) aspirate and biopsy demonstrated replacement of marrow with immature myeloid cells. Both the morphology and immunophenotype of the blast cells were consistent with AML type M4 (acute myelo-monocytic leukemia), using French-American-British (FAB) classification. The patient received standard induction chemotherapy with cytosine arabinoside (ARA-C) and daunorubicin followed with two cycles of consolidation therapy with high dose ARA-C, which resulted in remission of BM disease and resolution of lymphadenopathy and left testicular masses. After the second cycle of consolidation therapy, the patient developed sepsis that was complicated by refractory disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. He expired with a clinical picture of multiple organ failure. The unique features of this case are presented and the related literature is reviewed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Abdominal Pain / etiology
  • Adult
  • Antigens, CD / analysis
  • Antigens, Neoplasm / analysis
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / analysis
  • Cytarabine / administration & dosage
  • Daunorubicin / administration & dosage
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Diagnostic Errors
  • Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / etiology
  • Estradiol / blood
  • Fatal Outcome
  • Gynecomastia / etiology
  • Humans
  • Immunophenotyping
  • Karyotyping
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / complications
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / diagnosis*
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / genetics
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Acute / pathology
  • Leukemic Infiltration / diagnosis*
  • Leukemic Infiltration / pathology
  • Male
  • Multiple Organ Failure / etiology
  • Neoplasm Proteins / analysis
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / chemistry
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology
  • Peroxidase / analysis
  • Testicular Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Testis / pathology*

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Neoplasm
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Cytarabine
  • Estradiol
  • Peroxidase
  • Daunorubicin