Acute myeloid leukemia following a primary mediastinal germ cell tumor in an adolescent boy: A case report

Abstract

Background: Hematological malignancies developing after a primary mediastinal germ cell tumor (GCT) is a unique clinical syndrome initiated by a precursor resulting in parallel evolution of GCTs and hematological malignancies. Case report: We report a case of an adolescent boy who developed acute myeloid leukemia in less than a year of treatment for a mediastinal GCT. Though the isochromosome 12p in both the malignancies was not performed in our case, genetic studies identified TP53 mutations and abnormalities in chromosome 5, 7 and 17. The disease was refractory to chemotherapy and the patient succumbed to the illness. Conclusion: Hematological malignancies associated with non seminomatous mediastinal germ cell tumor are unique biologically and have a dismal prognosis.

Keywords

• Primary mediastinal tumor
• Adolescent boy
• Acute myeloid leukemia
• Secondary malignancy
• Genetics