Widespread bone disease in acute myeloid leukaemia.
We describe a 11-year-old boy with acute myeloid leukaemia who presented with widespread bone disease. Spine X-rays revealed multiple crush fractures and there were multiple hot spots on the bone scan. The bone-mineral density was markedly reduced but there was no hypercalcaemia or hypercalcuria. Bone marrow aspirate revealed 98% blast cells and a balanced translocation between chromosomes 10 and 17 in seven of nine metaphases. Plasma interleukin-6 level before chemotherapy was high at 53 pg/ml. We postulate that the mechanism for bony destruction in this case was similar to that in the adult disease myeloma.
Shah
D
D
Department of Neonatology, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK. divyen.shah@btinternet.com
Bond
M
M
Kilby
A M
AM
Patterson
K G
KG
D015519:Bone Density; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D002648:Child; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male
D015850:Interleukin-6