No asthma, no parasites is a rare type of leukemia: chronic myeloid neoplasm with eosinophilia and abnormality of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha
Santiago-Casiano, M.ón.; Alemán, J.R.; Matos-Fernández, N.A.; Cáceres-Perkins, W.; De La Paz, M.
Boletin de la Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico 104(3): 41-46
2012
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-4849 PMID: 23156891 Document Number: 702524
Chronic myeloid neoplasm with eosinophilia and abnormality of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA), referred as chronic eosinophilic leukemia, is an extremely rare neoplasm where long-term prognosis is uncertain though a high grade of responsiveness to Imatinib has been reported. The mortality and morbidity associated with chronic eosinophilic leukemia is associated with the degree of tissue involvement, damage, or both at diagnosis. We discuss a case of a young male patient with past medical history of hypoglycemia that presented to the emergency room with a complaints of a sharp abdominal pain localized in the upper quadrants. Laboratories were remarkable for elevated white blood cells with eosinophils predominance, anemia and thrombocytopenia. Bone marrow biopsy dislocated a FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion gene chronic eosinophilic leukemia. Physicians need to have a high index of suspicion of this rare entity since not all eosinophilias can be interpreted as asthma or parasitis infections.