Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase-Positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma with Cardiac Metastasis and Arterial Tumor Embolisms during First-Course Chemotherapy

Abstract

We described an 11-year-old boy suffering from pediatric anaplastic lymphoma kinase-positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma with heart metastasis at diagnosis and arterial tumor embolisms during chemotherapy. Both the heart metastasis and pericardial effusion showed improvement with prednisolone, but numbness and pallor sequentially developed in his lower extremities during the first course of chemotherapy. Contrast-enhanced imaging revealed occlusion of the right anterior tibial artery and left popliteal artery. These symptoms were spontaneously remitted due to the compensation of other arteries. Arterial tumor embolism is a rare but possible complication when a lymphoma shows intracardiac infiltration.

Keywords

• Anaplastic large cell lymphoma
• Anaplastic lymphoma kinase
• Heart metastasis
• Arterial embolism