Neural cell-adhesion molecule (CD 56)-positive, t(8; 21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML, M-2) and granulocytic sarcoma

Abstract
A 49-year-old man with t(8; 21) acute myeloid leukemia relapsed 8 months after successful induction chemotherapy with a paraspinal granulocytic sarcoma. There was no evidence of leukemia in the bone marrow at relapse. At initial presentation, the blasts coexpressed CD 15, CD 33, CD 34, CD 45, CD 19, and CD 56 (a neural cell-adhesion molecule). Expression of certain cell-adhesion molecules on leukemic blasts may determine a tendency to develop extramedullary relapse. The co-expression of CD 56 may have a role in the predisposition of t(8; 21) AML to develop GS.