Long-term survival in an acute promyelocytic leukemia patient with recurrent granulocytic sarcomas: A case report

RATIONALE: Granulocytic sarcoma (GS) is an extramedullary myeloid tumor composed of immature cells of the granulocytic series. It rarely occurs in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). No case of long-term survival in an APL patient with recurrent GS has been reported. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 54-year-old female patient was diagnosed with APL in 1995 and has been in complete remission (CR) of bone marrow morphology for 24 years; however, recurrent GS occurred successively in ovary, breast, spine, body of sternum, lymph nodes, soft tissues from 2004 to 2019. DIAGNOSES: The immunohistochemistry confirmed the diagnosis of GS, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed its origin from APL. INTERVENTIONS: She received surgery, and had an excellent response to all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), DA (daunorubicin combined with cytarabine) regimens, and arsenic trioxide (ATO). OUTCOMES: The patient achieved CR in March 2020 after radiotherapy followed by ATO and ATRA. So far, she is still in follow-up. LESSONS: It is rare that recurrent GS at multiple sites is involved in APL patient with bone marrow morphology in CR. It is interesting to observe a long-term excellent response to ATRA, chemotherapy and ATO. Although multiple recurrence of GS in patients with APL is rare, the data in this case highlight the need for individualized treatment when such conditions occur.