A Rare Case of Therapy-Related B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Arising From Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Therapy-related acute lymphoblastic leukemia (t-ALL) is a rare potential complication of chemotherapy. We describe the case of a 47-year-old male patient who was originally diagnosed with t(8;21) positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in 2019, received chemotherapy, achieved remission, and was disease-free for the next two years. During a routine follow-up in 2022, he was found to have developed subclinical pancytopenia, and further studies indicated a diagnosis of pH-negative, near-tetraploid B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) that was positive for a Tier 1 TP53 mutation, consistent with t-ALL. The patient had a prolonged treatment course complicated by social factors, such as the impact of both disease and treatment on his ability to work enough to make a living and live life with the quality he desired. The patient elected to pause treatment and resume it at a later date, after which, unfortunately, significant disease progression occurred and the patient died from complicating neutropenic sepsis and variceal bleeding. This case illustrates the challenges of managing social circumstances and patient goals in the setting of medically necessary but potentially harsh treatment courses. Given the aggressive nature of t-ALL and its overall poor prognosis, goals of care must be re-evaluated and discussed often to ensure alignment of therapy with a patient’s wishes.