Case 33. Diagnostic difficulty in a patient with acute leukemia

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Oncology
• Immunology

Background:

• Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy.
• Accurate subtyping of AML is crucial for prognosis and treatment selection.
• The French-American-British (FAB) classification has been historically used for AML subtyping.

Observation:

• A 24-year-old female patient initially received a provisional diagnosis of AML, FAB type M2.
• Immunophenotyping was performed as part of the diagnostic workup.

Findings:

• Immunophenotyping results prompted a reassessment of the initial diagnosis.
• The findings indicated that the provisional FAB M2 classification was not definitive.

Implications:

• Immunophenotyping is essential for refining AML diagnoses.
• Accurate immunophenotypic analysis can prevent misclassification and guide appropriate therapeutic strategies.
• This case highlights the importance of advanced diagnostic techniques in hematologic malignancies.