Alveolar granulocytic sarcoma of the mandible in a patient with HIV

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Nataša Colović1, Vladimir Jurišić, Tatjana Terzić

  • 1Institute of Hematology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.

Onkologie
|February 25, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Granulocytic sarcoma, a rare cancer, appeared in an HIV-positive patient. This case highlights the rarity of granulocytic sarcoma in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Hematology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Granulocytic sarcoma (chloroma) is a rare extramedullary tumor primarily associated with acute myelogenous leukemia and other myeloproliferative neoplasms.
  • While typically seen in leukemia patients, its occurrence in individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is exceptionally rare.

Observation:

  • A case report details a 52-year-old HIV-positive female with a CD4+ count of 321 cells/ml who developed an alveolar granulocytic sarcoma of the mandible.
  • Pathological analysis revealed immature cells positive for myeloid markers (CD13, CD33, CD15, CD11b, CD64) and negative for stem cell markers (CD34, CD117, HLA-DR).

Findings:

  • The patient achieved complete remission after a week of chemotherapy but later developed a second granulocytic sarcoma.
  • Recurrence coincided with a severe decline in CD4+ count (3 cells/ml) and Th/Ts index inversion, preceding death from gram-negative sepsis.

Implications:

  • This case underscores the extreme rarity of granulocytic sarcoma in the context of HIV infection.
  • It highlights the potential for aggressive disease progression and poor outcomes in advanced HIV, particularly with opportunistic infections like sepsis.
Abstract

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