title: A malignant case of acute promyelocytic leukemia with occlusion of carotid artery by tumor thrombus.
abstract: We report an unusual and malignant presentation of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) resulting in thrombosis of a cervicocephalic artery by tumor in a healthy 37-year-old woman. The patient's rapid decline and multiorgan involvement proved to be a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge, and despite the efforts of a coordinated multidisciplinary health care team, she suffered a cardiac arrest and died within 48 hours of presentation to the emergency department. Autopsy revealed an APL-related tumor thrombus obstructing the left internal carotid artery, which to the best of our knowledge has not yet been described as a cause of fatal stroke.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Toledo Medical Center, Toledo, OH 43614, USA. SelenaNicholas@aol.com
authors.forename: Selena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nicholas-Bublick
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Irlam
authors.forename: Gretchen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tietjen
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D020520:Brain Infarction / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002341:Carotid Artery Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000150:complications*; D009360:Neoplastic Cells, Circulating / Q000473:pathology*; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*