Ok CY, Medeiros LJ, Hu Y, Bueso-Ramos CE, Wang SA. Transient/reversible ring sideroblasts in bone marrow of patients post cytotoxic therapies for primary malignancies.
Leuk Res 2011;
35:1605-10. [PMID:
21596435 DOI:
10.1016/j.leukres.2011.04.021]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2011] [Revised: 04/19/2011] [Accepted: 04/21/2011] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The diagnosis of therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS) in the absence of increased myeloblasts or cytogenetic abnormalities is challenging. The presence of ring sideroblasts (RS) in this setting is often used to support the diagnosis of t-MDS. In this study, we reviewed 843 patients initially classified as therapy-related myeloid neoplasm in our hospital over 10 years. Nineteen (2.3%) patients had a normal karyotype, <5% bone marrow (BM) blasts, and ≥15% RS (17-70%), forming this study group. After reviewing clinical charts and follow-up BM specimens, we confirmed the diagnosis of MDS in 13 patients, but in 6 patients the blood counts returned to normal and RS and associated dyserythropoiesis disappeared in the follow-up BM biopsy. With a median follow-up of 21 months, none of these 6 patients died of BM causes. Compared with t-MDS cases, the 6 patients with transient/reversible RS showed comparable numbers of RS and BM blasts, but infrequent dysplasia involving non-erythroid lineages. We conclude that the presence of ≥15% RS in the post-therapy setting is not necessarily indicative of a clonal stem cell neoplasm. Four patients with transient/reversible RS received α-interferon therapy which may contribute to RS formation in this setting.
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