[Necrosis of the bone marrow and cancer]

Bone marrow necrosis (BMN) is a rare complication and is characterized by the presence of an eosinophilic amorphous material in the bone marrow. The clinical, analytical and histological characteristics of 4 patients with BMN associated to a neoplastic process are described. One of them was a gastric cancer but the neoplastic origin could not de determined in the other three cases. Three patients presented bone pain, but in all four patients thrombopenia, anemia, leuko-erythroblastic reaction and elevated LDH was found. A literature review is carried out and the possible physiopathological mechanisms are discussed.