Open AccessAcute myelogenous leukemia and acute leukemicappendicitis: A case report
Author(s) -
Po-Jen Hsiao,
Shih-Ming Kuo,
Jiahong Chen,
Hsuen-Fu Lin,
Pauling Chu,
ShihHua Lin,
Ching-Liang Ho
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
world journal of gastroenterology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.427
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 2219-2840
pISSN - 1007-9327
DOI - 10.3748/wjg.15.5624
Subject(s) - medicine , appendix , leukemia , acute leukemia , pathological , acute appendicitis , gastrointestinal tract , infiltration (hvac) , disease , gastroenterology , pathology , surgery , paleontology , physics , biology , thermodynamics
Acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) can involve the gastrointestinal tract but rarely involves the appendix. We report a male patient who had 1 year partial remission from AML and who presented with apparent acute appendicitis as the initial manifestation of leukemia relapse. Pathological findings of the appendix revealed transmural infiltrates of myeloblasts, which indicated a diagnosis of leukemia. Unfortunately, the patient died from progression of the disease on the 19th d after admission. Although leukemic cell infiltration of the appendix is uncommon, patients with leukemia relapse can present with symptoms mimicking acute appendicitis.