Whole-pulmonary low-dose radiation therapy in agnogenic myeloid metaplasia with diffuse lung involvement

Abstract

Agnogenic myeloid metaplasia is a hematologic disorder accompanied by extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) affecting various organs. Lung involvement however is rare. We present the case of a 76-year-old woman with myelofibrosis, recurrent pleural effusions, pulmonary hypertension, and serious right cardiac failure. An open lung biopsy confirmed pulmonary EMH. She underwent low-dose (200 cGy) whole-lung radiotherapy in 4 fractions of 50 cGy each. Her clinical and hemodynamic parameters improved. We conclude that low-dose whole-lung radiation may be efficacious for the palliative treatment of pulmonary EMH. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.