Malignant Lymphoma with c-myc Gene Rearrangement in a Patient Receiving Long-term Treatment for Multiple Myeloma

Abstract

We encountered a 65-year-old woman with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma showing t(8;14)(q24;q32) and c-myc gene rearrangement that developed following 12 years of melphalan-based chemotherapy for multiple myeloma. Short-term remission was obtained by CHOP chemotherapy. However, shortly thereafter the patient died of an aggressive progression of lymphoma. It was suspected that the lymphoma was a secondary malignancy related to the treatment with cytotoxic agents and radiation for prolonged multiple myeloma. The chromosomal abnormality t(8;14)(q24;q32) is rare in secondary malignancies. Overexpression of c-myc by gene rearrangement may be associated with clinical courses manifested by the rapid progression of lymphoma.