Obstructive Jaundice due to Pancreatic Involvement as an Initial Presentation of Adult Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Abstract

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a heterogeneous group of lymphoid disorders characterized by monoclonal proliferation and expansion of immature lymphoid cells in the bone marrow, blood, and other organs. It commonly presents with nonspecific symptoms such as lethargy, easy bruising, and weight loss. In this article, we present the case of a 48-year-old male who presented to the hospital with painless jaundice resulting from pancreatic infiltration, initially thought to be due to pancreatic or hepatobiliary malignancy. He was later diagnosed with ALL by lymph node biopsy and peripheral blood flow cytometry immunophenotyping and was transferred to a cancer treatment centre for unilateral bone marrow biopsy and further management. Our case highlights the rare occurrence of pancreatic infiltration in ALL.

T-Lymphoblastic lymphoma presenting with obstructive jaundice and pleural effusion; role of flow cytometry on pleural fluid: A case report

“…2,3 Table 1 highlights features of these two cases, and those of ours. Jaundice has also been reported in B-ALL/LBL, more than T-ALL/LBL; [4][5][6][7][8] and in acute myeloid leukemia. 9,10 The cause of obstructive jaundice, in a case of leukemia/lymphoma, can be either due to, obstruction of hepato-biliary tract (extra-/intra-hepatic), 10 or due to leukemic infiltration of hepatic sinusoids.…”