New-onset persistent hyperglycemia with initiation of brentuximab treatment.

INTRODUCTION: The addition of brentuximab vedotin (BV) to adriamycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (AVD) has become the standard-of-care approach for advanced stage Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). This case describes a rare presentation of new-onset diabetes mellitus one month after initiation of BV + AVD therapy in a patient with HL. CASE REPORT: A 41-year-old woman with pre-diabetes and obesity was started on BV + AVD for classical HL, nodular sclerosing type. Six weeks after initiating therapy, she was admitted for abdominal pain, at which time her blood glucose was noted to be 357 mg/dL. Her Hba1c was 8.1%. She required rapid acting insulin, and throughout admission, her glucose ranged from 132 to 263 mg/dL. After discharge, a fasting glucose of over 250 mg/dL deemed her ineligible to have a PET/CT performed to assess disease status. MANAGEMENT AND OUTCOME: She was started on basal insulin, a DPP4-inhibitor, and a meglitinide analog. After initiation of therapy, her glucose levels were better controlled, and she was able to have her PET scan. Repeat Hba1c was 6.2% three months after initiation of glucose-lowering medications. She completed 6 cycles of BV + AVD therapy, with improving finger stick blood glucose (FSBG), and repeat Hba1c 1 month after completion of therapy was 5.2% on metformin monotherapy. DISCUSSION: Reports of brentuximab-induced hyperglycemia are rare in the literature, noted in just a few studies and one case report. Our case demonstrates a need to monitor blood glucose levels carefully during the initiation of BV therapy, especially in individuals with risk factors such as obesity, pre-diabetes mellitus, or diabetes mellitus.

Widespread myeloid sarcoma with KMT2A rearrangement involving the testis, oral cavity, heart, kidney and gallbladder without bone marrow involvement.

Myeloid sarcoma is a solid hematological tumor consisting of growing immature myeloid cells in tissues outside the bone marrow. Myeloid sarcoma presenting before the onset of bone marrow disease is rare. Here, we report the case of a young 35-year-old male who presented with testicular mass and was diagnosed with widespread myeloid sarcoma involving internal organs like heart, kidney and gallbladder. Peripheral blood and bone marrow examination did not show any evidence of leukemia. Genetic analysis was significant for KRAS G12D mutation and KMT2A rearrangement. Induction chemotherapy for extramedullary AML with cladribine, cytarabine, GM-CSF and idarubicin (CLAG-IDA) achieved complete remission. However, the patient relapsed after 2 months and developed rapidly progressive disease. The disseminated nature of the disease in a patient without bone marrow involvement are what make this case extremely rare. Involvement of organs like heart, gall bladder and kidney is also uncommon. Isolated myeloid sarcoma is a challenge to diagnose as there are no manifestations of leukemia in peripheral blood or bone marrow, so it is usually not considered among the differential diagnoses. KM2TA rearrangement identified on genetic analysis is a rare finding in patients with AML and is associated with poor outcomes. KRAS mutations are currently being studied as therapeutic targets in these patients. This case report describes the detailed diagnostic process and discusses the possible strategies for diagnosis and treatment that can be used in similar cases.