title: Ear involvement in acute promyelocytic leukemia at relapse: a disease-associated 'sanctuary'?
abstract: Extramedullary (EM) involvement occurs infrequently in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and usually involves skin and CNS. We describe seven patients (four observed at a single institution) who relapsed in various sites of the auditory apparatus, including the external canal and middle ear (temporal bone). Front-line treatment included ATRA and chemotherapy (six patients) or chemotherapy alone (one patient). Three patients had concomitant hematologic relapse, two had molecular relapse and two were in hematologic and molecular remission when ear localization was documented. Local symptoms that stimulated further diagnostic studies included ear bleeding/discharge in the first patient, but were mild in the others (hypoacusia, five patients; earache, two patients). Ear involvement by leukemia was documented by histological and/or molecular studies after local surgery in five cases, and by CT scan or NMR in the remaining patients. We suggest that the ear might represent a specific sanctuary for disease involvement in APL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cellular Biotechnologies, University La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Breccia
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Petti
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Testi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Specchia
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ferrara
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Diverio
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guerrisi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fiorella
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Vincentiis
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mandelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lo Coco
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000737:chemistry; D004423:Ear / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D017254:Leukemic Infiltration; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion / Q000235:genetics; D000071156:Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D012008:Recurrence; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000032:analysis; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015514:Oncogene Proteins, Fusion; D000071156:Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D014157:Transcription Factors; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C093476:promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor alpha fusion oncoprotein; C070576:PML protein, human