Acute myeloblastic leukemia and sarcoidosis. Implications for pathogenesis

A disorder characterized by anemia and neutropenia due to impaired bone marrow function and a multisystem noncaseating granulomatous (NCG) disorder typical of sarcoidosis, culminated in acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) in a patient after 6 years of observation. Linkage between the leukemia and sarcoidosis is suggested by a precedent case report, by the statistical remoteness of a fortuitous concurrence, by numerous reported instances of regional or systemic NCG accompanying a variety of malignancies, and by evidence of AML immunogenicity. It appears possible that the sarcoidosis in this patient represented a tissue reaction to the AML.