Coexistence of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Acute Myeloid Leukemia at Initial Diagnosis: A Case Report

Abstract

Background: Lymphoma and leukemia, both malignant hematological cancers, are primarily separate diseases, with a majority of cases originating independently. The co-occurrence of lymphoma and leukemia at the time of the first diagnosis is extremely rare, and few relevant reports exist in the medical literature. We describe a case of a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia, a very rare occurrence. Case Report: A 57-year-old man complained of fatigue and neck tumors. A physical examination revealed several enlarged superficial lymph nodes throughout the body. On admission, routine blood tests revealed anemia, thrombocytopenia, and normal counts of white blood cells. Cytology of two cervical lymph nodes indicated non- Hodgkin's lymphoma, 18F-PET/CT: multiple enlarged lymph nodes with hypermetabolism, diffuse hypermetabolism of the bone marrow, suggesting lymphoma infiltration in the bone marrow, and a bone marrow biopsy revealed acute myeloid leukemia. Ultimately, the patient was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and acute myeloid leukemia. Conclusion: Primary bilineage hematological malignancies are rare, and the mechanism underlying their incidence is unknown. Infiltration of the bone marrow by lymphoma or leukemia can result in diffuse hypermetabolism, which is mostly diagnosed via bone marrow biopsy.