Bone Marrow Metastasis of Rhabdomyosarcoma Mimicking Acute Leukemia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

• Published in: Internal Medicine Vol. 54; no. 6; pp. 643 - 650
• Main Authors: Aida, Yuka, Ueki, Toshimitsu, Kirihara, Takehiko, Takeda, Wataru, Kurihara, Taro, Sato, Keijiro, Shimizu, Ikuo, Hiroshima, Yuki, Sumi, Masahiko, Ueno, Mayumi, Ichikawa, Naoaki, Watanabe, Masahide, Kobayashi, Hikaru
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan The Japanese Society of Internal Medicine 01-01-2015
• Subjects: acute leukemia; Adult; alveolar; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Bone Marrow - pathology; bone marrow metastasis; Bone Marrow Neoplasms - complications; Bone Marrow Neoplasms - secondary; Diagnosis, Differential; disseminated intravascular coagulation; Female; Humans; Leukemia - diagnosis; rhabdomyosarcoma; Rhabdomyosarcoma - complications; Rhabdomyosarcoma - secondary; Thrombocytopenia - etiology; Treatment Outcome; VDC EI
• ISSN: 0918-2918; 1349-7235
• DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.54.2473

Bone marrow metastasis of rhabdomyosarcoma has been reported to be difficult to distinguish from acute leukemia. We herein describe a case of rhabdomyosarcoma with bone marrow metastasis mimicking acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A 29-year-old woman was admitted with thrombocytopenia, blast-like cells in the peripheral blood and a coagulation disorder. Bone marrow aspirates showed 94.8% blast-like cell infiltration (CD45-, myeloperoxidase-, and CD56+), and CT scan revealed the presence of an infiltrating mass in the nasal cavity. Based on a biopsy of the nasal cavity, the patient was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma exhibiting bone marrow metastasis. She received chemotherapy, followed by radiation therapy, and has since remained alive for 26 months, as of the last follow-up.