Sarcoidosis and Acute Myeloid Leukaemia

Paraneoplastic sarcoid-like reactions and the eye

BACKGROUND

Sarcoid-like reactions have been reported and confirmed by histopathology in patients with malignant disease. This series demonstrates the complex relationship of malignancy and sarcoidosis as pertaining to the eye, which, to the best of our knowledge, has not been previously reported in the literature.

METHODS

Retrospective case study of five patients with sarcoid-like reactions. Patients 1 to 4 represent patients with ocular sarcoid-like reaction and systemic malignant disease. Patient 5 had ocular malignancy and systemic sarcoid-like reaction; workup revealed renal cell cancer. For each patient, other etiologies of nonnecrotizing granulomatous inflammation were excluded.

RESULTS

Sarcoid-like reactions have been described in the literature when nonnecrotizing granulomas occur in association with malignancy and in the absence of multiorgan involvement as seen with systemic sarcoid. In our series, sarcoid-like reactions involved the vitreous in three patients, retina in one patient, and the choroid and lung in one patient. Sarcoid-like reaction preceded the diagnosis of malignancy in two patients, was found concomitantly with malignancy in one patient, and followed malignancy in two patients. Two patients had hematologic malignancy, one patient had endometrial carcinoma, one had renal cell carcinoma, and one patient had both renal cell carcinoma and uveal melanoma. Four patients had findings of nonnecrotizing granulomas confirmed by histopathology.

CONCLUSION

Sarcoid-like reactions can occur in the eye, and ocular malignancies may incite sarcoid-like reaction. Ocular sarcoid-like reactions have paraneoplastic features in that they can occur at a site distant from malignancy and may precede, occur simultaneously with, or follow malignancy.

Concurrent endobronchial carcinoid tumor and sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease of unknown cause which is characterized by the presence of noncaseating granulomas. The association of sarcoidosis with malignancy has been an issue and remains controversial. We herein report endobronchial carcinoid tumor in a patient with sarcoidosis diagnosed by nasal mucosal biopsy, excisional biopsy of cervical lymph nodes and mediastinal lymph node dissection.

Sarcoidosis and malignancy

Malignancy in patients with sarcoidosis occurs in 3 settings. The first setting relates to patients with hematologic malignancies. It includes the sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome, which refers to the development of lymphoma at least 1 to 2 years after the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. It also includes patients with sarcoidosis who develop other hematologic malignancies. In addition, this subset of individuals includes patients with cancer and hematologic malignancies who subsequently develop sarcoidosis. The second setting consists of patients with sarcoidosis who develop solid tumors and oncologic patients in whom sarcoidosis subsequently appears; in addition to melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer, the neoplasms most commonly associated involve the cervix, liver, lung, testicles, and uterus. The third setting of malignancy-related sarcoidosis occurs when sarcoidosis presents as a paraneoplastic syndrome for the associated cancer, specifically when the discovery of cancer is concurrent with or within 1 year of the diagnosis of sarcoidosis or vis-a-vis. Antineoplastic treatment of either the hematologic malignancy or the solid tumor has also been observed to either induce the initial onset or flare the activity of sarcoidosis. Malignancy can also be associated with the occurrence of sarcoid reactions that typically are restricted to the regional lymph nodes or the visceral organ of tumor origin; rarely, the sarcoid reaction can also be observed in the skin or is only limited to the skin.

Leukemia cutis with prominent giant cell reaction

We present a case of leukemia cutis associated with a prominent giant cell component. This lesion was initially diagnosed as chronic granulomatous inflammation 1 year before the definitive diagnosis of leukemia cutis was made. Skin biopsy specimens showed numerous Langhans-type giant cells occurring singly and as poorly formed granulomas. However, the majority of the infiltrate consisted of immature myeloid cells, positive for chloroacetate esterase, lysozyme, and CD 68. Subsequent peripheral blood and bone marrow examinations confirmed the progression of the disease to acute myeloid leukemia.

Carcinoid tumors and sarcoidosis--does a link exist?

OBJECTIVE

To attempt to determine whether a relationship exists between carcinoid tumors and sarcoidosis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We present a series of seven case reports and discuss hypotheses about possible disease associations.

RESULTS

Certain malignant lesions have tended to occur in patients with sarcoidosis. Seven patients who were encountered at Mayo Clinic Rochester between 1950 and 1994 had both sarcoidosis and carcinoid tumors. These patients ranged in age from 31 to 66 years, and three of the patients had a history of benign thyroid disorders. Malignant tumors have been thought to be related to sarcoidosis in one of two ways: (1) immunologic abnormalities in sarcoidosis may promote the development of neoplasms or (2) malignant disease may promote the onset of sarcoidosis either by causing local sarcoid reactions that progress or by directly initiating the manifestations of systemic sarcoidosis. Because the chronology of events differed in our seven cases, various mechanisms of action may have a role in the manifestations of these two disease entities. Our cases emphasize the importance of avoiding the diagnosis of disseminated malignant disease in patients with cancer and associated hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy without biopsy confirmation of metastatic disease.

CONCLUSION

Application of the knowledge gained about the mechanisms of disease in sarcoidosis will perhaps facilitate identification of the pathogenesis of carcinoid tumors and other neuroendocrine tumors.

Cutaneous sarcoid reactions during long-term remission in a patient with acute myelogenous leukemia

A 68-year-old Japanese man with acute myelogenous leukemia, in long-term remission, developed cutaneous sarcoid reactions on his trunk and extremities. This may suggest that sarcoid-like granulomas be considered as a nonspecific cutaneous sign of underlying leukemia.

Linkage analysis of malignancy-associated sarcoidosis

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To determine whether a reported association between sarcoidosis and malignancy can be supported.

DESIGN

In this retrospective survey in a general community setting, we crossmatched the Kaiser Permanente Northwest Region (KPNW) Tumor Registry comprising 3 x 10(4) cases observed over 32 years against a sarcoidosis registry of 243 cases observed over 24 years. We used linkage criteria, eg, previously reported associated malignancies, late age onset of sarcoidosis, and close temporal proximity, to identify joint occurrences suggesting an etiologic relationship. We assessed the feasibility of detecting an association of sarcoidosis and Hodgkins disease (HD) by computing the required sample size based on incidence estimates of sarcoidosis and HD in this population. Medical records of 241 persons identified by the Tumor Registry as having HD were reviewed.

SETTING

KPNW, a health maintenance organization.

POPULATION

We studied 6.8 x 10(6) KPNW member-years from 1960 to 1992 at risk for malignancy; 5.6 x 10(6) member-years from 1971 to 1992 at risk for sarcoidosis.

RESULTS

Six of the 11 (55%; 95% confidence interval, 26 to 84) correctly classified sarcoidosis and malignancy (S&M) cases met two or more linkage criteria. A seventh case, incorrectly classified as sarcoidosis, exhibited a necrotizing systemic granulomatous process, believed to represent a response to a fatal lymphoproliferative disorder. The mean age (40 years) of the 11 patients with S&M was 9 years higher than the mean age of the patients with sarcoidosis in the population from which they were drawn. The stage of sarcoidosis at diagnosis among the 11 S&M cases was exclusively 0 and I and thus divergent from expected values in this population. We found no instances of sarcoidosis accompanying HD.

CONCLUSION

Linkage analysis provides evidence that S&M may be etiologically related in at least a quarter of cases in which both are present.

Simultaneous presentation of sarcoidosis and acute myeloid leukaemia: predisposition to pulmonary haemorrhage

A case of coexistent acute myeloid leukaemia and sarcoidosis is reported. This was complicated by recurrent pulmonary haemorrhage during reinduction and consolidation chemotherapy. A review of published papers on malignancy and sarcoidosis, in particular acute leukaemia is given. The outcome of most cases of acute leukaemia and sarcoidosis is poor with respiratory complications a frequent cause of death in this group. It is proposed that modifications to treatment to avoid pulmonary toxicity and maintenance of platelet counts above 40 x 10(9)/l are warranted to reduce the risk of this complication.

Sarcoidosis and agnogenic myeloid metaplasia

Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia (AMM) was recognized 3 years after a diagnosis of sarcoidosis in a 45-year-old man. This is the second reported instance of that association, and the 15th reported case in which systemic granulomata have been associated with a myeloproliferative disorder (MPD). In the client population at risk, this connection would be expected to occur by chance once in 1700 years. Therefore, it is unlikely that the association is fortuitous. Systemic granulomata may represent an immunologic response to antigens of neoplastic origin in MPD.

Disseminated cutaneous granulomatous eruptions associated with myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukaemia

Two elderly male patients presented with similar, widespread, papular, granulomatous eruptions and developed myelodysplastic syndromes. The first showed histological features of diffuse granuloma annulare and had mild hypergammaglobulinaemia, slightly abnormal liver function and a leucoerythroblastic anaemia. He developed acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) secondary to a background myelodysplastic syndrome and was treated with combination chemotherapy during which his eruption settled; his AML and his skin are in remission 1 year later. The second developed a myelodysplastic syndrome and a similar rash with histological features of papular cutaneous sarcoidosis but no systemic abnormalities apart from mild hypergammaglobulinaemia, cutaneous anergy to multiple recall antigens and activation of circulating monocytes. He has remained well but his rash and myelodysplastic syndrome have persisted. These cases are interesting because of the striking similarity of their granulomatous eruptions and their associated haematological abnormalities. Patients with such disseminated, granulomatous cutaneous infiltrations should be investigated to exclude associated haematological abnormalities if there is any abnormality of their peripheral blood picture.