The development of metachronous prostate cancer and chronic myeloid leukemia in a patient with metastatic rectal cancer

Abstract

We report herein an unusual case of metachronous triple cancers (rectum, prostate and Philadelphia+ [Ph+] chronic myeloid leukemia [CML]). A metastatic rectal cancer was diagnosed in a 76-year-old male patient, who was treated with transanal tumor resection and chemotherapy. Thirty months from the initial rectal cancer diagnosis, prostate cancer was diagnosed and the patient was administered maximal androgen blockade and received palliative radiotherapy to the lumbar spine because of painful bone metastases. Thirty months after the diagnosis of rectal cancer and 12 months after the diagnosis of prostate cancer the patient developed Ph+ CML and imatinib treatment was started. After one-year period in remission, CML evolved into accelerated phase and the patient died of intracranial hemorrhage. © 2008 Zerbinis Medical Publications.