Relapse of leukemia and lymphoma after marrow transplant: A review of cases with extramedullary relapse

We review our cases of leukemia and lymphoma relapse after allogeneic marro w transplant and describe here a series of 10 patients with extramedullary (EM) relapse. In the 13 relapses in acute myeloid leukemia, 5 cases had EM involvement. There were 3 EM involvement out of 13 acute lymphoblastic leuk emia relapses, one EM disease in 11 chronic myeloid leukemia relapses and o ne case of lymphoma with EM relapse. A common observation is that in some o f these cases, EM relapse occurred in the presence of continuous marrow rem ission, In those cases with both marrow and EM involvement marrow remission could often be achieved and maintained temporarily while EM disease progre ssed despite chemotherapy or immunotherapeutic measures such as immunosuppr essant withdrawal and donor lymphocyte infusion. Survival in partial remiss ion after relapse could be prolonged in some cases but eventual death from progressive disease was often the case.