Case Report: Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma After Cardiac Transplantation due to Anthracycline-Induced Dilated Cardiomyopathy in Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract

Anthracycline is a first-line chemotherapy drug used to treat childhood acute leukemia, which may cause cardiac toxicity including common arrhythmia, valve disease, pericardial effusion, and even rare cardiomyopathy and cardiac failure. We reported a 2-year-old boy who was treated irregularly for acute lymphoblastic leukemia with daunorubicin. After 26 months, his left ventricular ejection fraction decreased to 40% and progressively decreased to 20–30%. Then he successfully received a heart transplant and the myocardium was confirmed with dilated cardiomyopathy. Eight months after cardiac transplantation, he was admitted again for left neck mass and was diagnosed with monomorphic diffuse large B cell lymphoma associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection by biopsy. We present this case to highlight the importance of standard chemotherapy of daunorubicin, clinical prevention, and monitoring of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia children to ensure their good prognosis and long-term life quality.