Case Report

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Associated with Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Ring Sideroblasts

Authors: Khalil M. Charafeddine, MD, Georges Y. Ibrahim, MD, Rami A. Mahfouz, MD, Ghazi S. Zaatari, MD, Ziad M. Salem, MD

Abstract

Diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome/acute myeloid leukemia (MDS/AML) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in the same patient is extremely rare. We describe a 69-year-old CLL patient who developed MDS with ring sideroblasts 1 year after diagnosis of CLL and without any previous treatment. Diagnosis was based on flow cytometry, bone marrow aspirate morphology, and iron stain. Our findings indicate that the 2 disorders belong to 2 different hematopoietic clones in this patient. In cases of worsening anemia in CLL patients, it is recommended that an iron stain be performed on bone marrow aspirates to exclude a coexistent malignancy such as refractory anemia with ring sideroblasts.

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