title: Acute promyelocytic leukemia presenting as a paraspinal mass.
abstract: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a distinct subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that is characterized by a balanced translocation between chromosomes 15 and 17 [t(15;17)], which results in the fusion of the promyelocytic leukemia (PML) and retinoic acid receptor α (RARA) genes. Historically, APL was a fatal disease because of the high relapse rates with cytotoxic chemotherapy alone and a significant bleeding risk secondary to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). However, APL is now one of the most curable hematological malignancies because of molecularly targeted therapies. With the advent of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) containing chemotherapy regimens, rates of complete remission and long-term, disease-free survival have improved dramatically. More recently, regimens incorporating both ATRA and arsenic trioxide (ATO) have allowed a substantial number of patients to be treated with little or no additional cytotoxic chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Abramson Cancer Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. nishah@mcw.edu.|Division of Hematology-Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Nirav N
authors.initials: NN
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadephia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stonecypher
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadephia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Pallavi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gopal
authors.affiliation: Abramson Cancer Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.|Division of Hematology-Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Selina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Luger
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadephia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bagg
authors.affiliation: Abramson Cancer Center, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.|Division of Hematology-Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perl
keywords: APL; extramedullary AML; granulocytic sarcoma; myeloid sarcoma