title: Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma in a 68-year-old patient identified by cytogenetic analysis of bone marrow.
abstract: Pancytopenia and fulminant disseminated intravascular coagulation in a 68-year-old woman suggested an acute hematologic malignancy. However, cytogenetic analysis on a bone marrow sample revealed a near-tetraploid karyotype with an isochromosome 1q and a translocation (2;13) (q35;q14), which was suggestive of an alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS). This diagnosis was subsequently confirmed by indirect immunohistochemistry. ARMS has not yet been observed in a patient of this age. Thus, our case underlines the importance of cytogenetics, to establish an a priori unexpected tumor diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Medizinische Biologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stindl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fiegl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Regele
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gisslinger
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Breitenseher
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fonatsch
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D002878:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1 / Q000235:genetics; D002882:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13 / Q000235:genetics*; D002889:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007621:Karyotyping; D018232:Rhabdomyosarcoma, Alveolar / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D014178:Translocation, Genetic
chemical_list: D005819:Genetic Markers