Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma in a 68-year-old patient identified by cytogenetic analysis of bone marrow.
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.
Stindl
R
R
Institut für Medizinische Biologie, Medizinische Fakultät, Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria.
Fiegl
M
M
Regele
H
H
Gisslinger
H
H
Breitenseher
M J
MJ
Fonatsch
C
C
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
D005819:Genetic Markers