Acute Myelogenous Leukemia in Crohn's Disease

Song, In Sung; Choi, Kyoo Wan; Kim, Ji Won; Jung, Hyun Chae; Kim, Chung Yong; Kim, You Sun; Cha, Sung Duk; Woo, Gwang Hoon; Hwang, Jin Hyok; Byeon, Jeong Sik

Abstract

Various hematological disorders, including iron deficency anemia and thrombocytosis, are known as extraintestinal rnanifestations of Crohns disease (CD). In addition, recent studies suggest that incidence of leukemia is higher in patients with CD than in the normal population. In the literature review, thirteen cases of leukemia associated with CD have been described since 1980. The etiology of leukemia in CD seems to be multifactorial and may involve immunologic abnormalities associated with CD, exposure to diagnostic radiation or side-effects of immuno- suppressants. A thirty-one year old female patient was diagnosed to have CD in 1991 and treated with sulfasalazine, corticosteroid, azathioprine and metronidazole, and then developed leukocytosis, severe anemia and marked thrombocytopenia. A diagnosis of acute myelomonocytic leukemia was established by bone marrow cytology and biopsy. Chromosomal analysis of bone marrow aspirate revealed t (8:21) with loss of sex chromosome. In conclusion when the patients with CD develop leukocytosis, marked anemia and thrombocytopenia, we should consider the, possibility of leukemia.