Intestinal Behcet's disease associated with myelodysplastic syndrome with chromosomal trisomy 8 - A report of two cases and a review of the literature

Two cases of intestinal Behcet's disease, which developed in the state of m yelodysplastic syndrome with trisomy 8, are presented. Both cases are inclu ded in the incomplete type of Behcet's disease, with recurrent aphthous sto matitis, skin lesions, genital ulcers or vascular involvement and punched-o ut ulcers in the cecum, without ocular involvement. The chromosomal analyse s revealed chromosomal abnormalities, including trisomy 8, in both cases. C hromosomal trisomy 8 was shown in all 6 cases with the intestinal Behcet's disease associated with myelodysplastic syndrome reported previously, inclu ding our patients. Their histories indicated that myelodysplastic syndrome might have started before the development of intestinal Becet's disease. Th eses findings suggested that chromosomal trisomy 8 might play an important role in the pathogenesis, at least in some groups, of intestinal Behcet's d isease.