Anaplastic large cell lymphoma with involvement of the pancreas presenting as panniculitis in a patient with a history of acute myeloid leukemia--case report and review of the literature

Abstract

A 66-year-old man with history of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) presented with B-symptoms and abdominal pain. A CT scan of the abdomen demonstrated an enlargement of the head and uncinate of pancreas and diffuse lymphadenopathy. The patient developed respiratory distress and expired. An autopsy of the pancreas revealed clusters of large, atypical cells, which morphologically and immunophenotypically were consistent with CD30 positive, ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) of T-cell lineage and multifocal fat necrosis (panniculitis) in the peripancreatic adipose tissue. This is the first case of ALCL of the pancreas and panniculitis in a patient with history of AML.