ALVEOLAR RHABDOMYOSARCOMA IN A 68-YEAR-OLD PATIENT IDENTIFIED BY CYTOGENETIC ANALYSIS BONE-MARROW

Pancytopenia and fulminant disseminated intravascular coagulation in a 68-year-old woman suggested an acute hematologic malignancy. However, cytogenetic analysis on a bone marrow sample revealed a near-tetraplo id karyotype with an isochromosome 1q and a translocation (2;13) (q35; q14), which was suggestive of an alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS). Thi s diagnosis was subsequently confirmed by indirect immunohistochemistr y. ARMS has not yet been observed in a patient of this age. Thus, our case underlines the importance of cytogenetics, to establish an aprior i unexpected tumor diagnosis. (C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1998.