Acute myeloid leukemia associated with near-tetraploid karyotype and mutations in the FLT3 gene

Abstract

Tetraploidy and near-tetraploidy are rare in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), contrary to other hematological disease. In this paper we describe a case of a 52-year-old male with AML associated with tetraploidy, mutation in tyrosine kinase receptor FLT3, and very short survival. At presentation maculopapular rash with crustae, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly was diagnosed. The blasts comprised 80% of marrow nucleated cells (POX negative and PAS finely granular positive). Immunophenotyping done on marrow cells was (CD34, HLA DR, CD14, CD64, CD33, CD11b, and CD15) and correlated with the acute monoblastic leukemia. Detection of FLT3 mutation was done by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Cytogenetic analysis show: 85-93, XXYY,inc(cp5)/46,XY. Based on these considerations, we suggest the detection of FLT3 mutations as a diagnostic procedure for all AML patients.