ACUTE MYELOGENOUS LEUKEMIA PRESENTING WITH BULKY LYMPHADENOPATHY - CASE-REPORT AND LITERATURE-REVIEW

We report a patient with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) presenting with generalized lymphadenopathy, clinically simulating aggressive non-Hodg kin's lymphoma. This patient presented with anemia and bulky lymphaden opathy in the oropharyngeal (Waldeyer's ring), submandibular, supracla vicular and inguinal nodal regions. Lymph node biopsy was initially su ggestive of a T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, based on morphologic feat ures together with positive immunohistochemical staining for CD7 and C D43 (Leu 22). Definitive diagnosis of AML was established when a more detailed immunophenotypic analysis showed expression of the myeloid ma rkers CD13 and CD33, and by the demonstration of rare Auer rods and po sitive peroxidase staining in bone marrow blast cells. Although this i s a rare presentation, AML must always be considered in the clinical a nd pathologic differential diagnosis of aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymph oma.