title: Aggressive natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma: case report, use of telesynergy and review of the literature.
abstract: Natural killer cell malignancies, although increasingly recognized, remain rare tumors within the USA and Europe. They are somewhat more common in Asia, and have been best characterized within this population. We present a case of a young Caucasian woman who presented acutely with an aggressive natural killer cell leukemia/lymphoma. Use of Telesynergy technology enabled a transatlantic telemedicine conference with colleagues in a center of expertise. Unfortunately the patient was ultimately refractory to both conventional chemotherapy and Campath-1H and her disease course was fulminant, as has been described previously in this condition. We review the possible therapeutic options for this extremely aggressive malignancy and briefly discuss our center's experience of telemedicine technology.
authors.affiliation: Haematology Department, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast, BT9 7AB, N. Ireland.
authors.forename: Joanne
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Murdock
authors.forename: Elaine S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Jaffe
authors.forename: Wyndham H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Damian T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: McManus
authors.forename: H Denis
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.forename: T C M Curly
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Morris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D017216:Telemedicine
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000074323:Alemtuzumab