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Case Reports
. 2021 Jun 1;60(11):1753-1757.
doi: 10.2169/internalmedicine.4916-20. Epub 2021 Jan 15.

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Developing with Acute Pancreatitis Mimicking Autoimmune Pancreatitis

Affiliations
Case Reports

Acute Myeloid Leukemia Developing with Acute Pancreatitis Mimicking Autoimmune Pancreatitis

Ryohei Sumitani et al. Intern Med. .

Abstract

A 33-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for fever and abdominal pain. A blood analysis revealed pancytopenia and increased serum pancreatic enzymes with disseminated intravascular coagulation. A detailed examination revealed acute pancreatitis, with diffuse swelling of the pancreas and diffuse beaded dilatation of the main pancreatic duct, which mimicked autoimmune pancreatitis complicated by acute myeloid leukemia. Systemic cytotoxic chemotherapy led to the remission of leukemia and pancreatitis. We hypothesized that the etiology of acute pancreatitis was invasion of leukemia cells. Acute pancreatitis is rare as a symptom of leukemia; however, we should consider the possibility of leukemia during the differential diagnosis of acute pancreatitis.

Keywords: acute myeloid leukemia; acute pancreatitis; autoimmune pancreatitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors state that they have no Conflict of Interest (COI).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
A, B: Computed tomography image of the abdomen on admission. Diffuse swelling of the pancreas, dilatation of the main pancreatic duct (arrows) and multiple enhancement defects in the bilateral kidneys (circles) were observed. C: Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography on admission showed beaded dilatation of the pancreatic duct and disruption of the main pancreatic duct (arrow).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Clinical course. The patient received idarubicin and cytarabine as induction therapy and achieved a hematological remission. Leukemia and pancreatitis both improved after chemotherapy, and the abnormal pancreas and kidney findings disappeared after the first course of consolidation chemotherapy. IDR: idarubicin, AraC: cytarabine, HD AraC: high-dose cytarabine, FISH: fluorescence in situ hybridization, mono: monocyte, RNA: ribonucleic acid

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