[Giant abdominal myeloblastoma preceding overt acute myelogenous leukemia]

A 34-year-old man noted an abdominal mass in February 1986. Peripheral blood was normal, but barium enema disclosed a Borrmann 1 type tumor of the ascending colon. In April, his abdominal mass was increased up to 15 x 20 cm in size. He was admitted to our hospital. Peripheral blood and bone marrow showed overt leukemic picture (acute myelogenous leukemia). Colonic fiberscopy and biopsy as well as abdominal CT scan were done, and the abdominal mass proved to be a myeloblastoma. He received chemotherapy and 60Co irradiation. He was induced to complete remission, kept it for 11 months, and relapsed. After relapse, leukemic state became refractory. But leukemic cells did not form any mass. He died of pulmonary aspergillosis in November 1987. Autopsy showed hypocellular leukemic bone marrow, but we could detect no myeloblastoma.