Aggressive NK-cell leukemia: malignant progression of chronic active
Epstein-Barr virus infection with poor prognosis
Abstract
Chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection (CAEBV) is a
rare syndrome characterized by prolonged infectious with elevated
peripheral blood EBV DNA load. CAEBV has been primarily reported in East
Asia. Aggressive NK cell leukemia (ANKL) is a rare malignant
lymphoproliferative disorder of mature NK cells closely associated with
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The morphology of ANKL tumor cells, highly
atypical features with basophilic cytoplasm containing azurophilc
granules, with a median survival of less than three months. A 9-year-old
boy with CAEBV infection for more than three years with EBV-associated
encephalitis received an allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant
four months ago. His health rapidly deteriorated with pancytopenia,
diffuse intravascular coagulation, central nervous system and liver
dysfunction. Monoclonal NK cells appeared in the bone marrow and
cytokine IL-10 was significantly increased. His NK cells had an abnormal
immune phenotype and morphological abnormality. This patient had
clinical progressed of CAEBV to ANKL, while clinical progression was
rapid and fatal.