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- Title
Undiagnosed, Untreated Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Presenting as a Suspicious Sudden Death*.
- Authors
Saint‐Martin, Pauline; O'Byrne, Patrick; Gaulier, Jean‐Michel; Martin‐Dupont, Sophie; Peyclit, Agnès; Paraf, François
- Abstract
Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a subtype of acute myelogenous leukemia frequently associated with clotting abnormalities and severe hemorrhagic diathesis. The disease is associated with a high incidence of early fatal hemorrhage. We report the sudden death of a 40-year-old male without significant medical history in which foul play had been initially suspected. A thorough postmortem investigation performed on the decedent lead to the diagnosis of APL. Cause of death was a cerebellar hematoma. Underlying APL should be considered in the differential diagnosis when unexplained bleeding is encountered in a decedent. This case emphasizes the value of routinely collecting bone marrow during an autopsy to enable accurate testing and diagnosis.
- Subjects
ACUTE promyelocytic leukemia; SUDDEN death; IMMUNE system; HUMAN dissection; HEMORRHAGE
- Publication
Journal of Forensic Sciences, 2012, Vol 57, Issue 3, p829
- ISSN
0022-1198
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/j.1556-4029.2012.02053.x