Mast cell leukemia with complex genomic alterations in an elderly patient with prior hematologic and solid malignancies: a case report

Abstract

Introduction: Mast cell leukemia (MCL) is the rarest and most aggressive variant of systemic mastocytosis (approximately 1% of cases), with a median survival of under 2 years. Diagnosis requires ≥20% atypical mast cells in the marrow aspirate, and the disease frequently overlaps with myeloid neoplasms. Case presentation: An 86-year-old man with paranasal sinus diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in remission since 2017 after R-CHOP and methotrexate, and prostate adenocarcinoma treated in 2019, presented with acute pancytopenia, presumed to represent lymphoma relapse. Serum tryptase exceeded 11 999 ng/mL; the aspirate showed 20% pleomorphic mast cells (CD117+, weak CD25, CD2−), confirming aleukemic MCL. Formal CMML criteria could not be confirmed due to the unavailability of monocyte differential data; however, the findings raised suspicion for an associated myeloid neoplasm, with SM with an associated hematological neoplasm remaining an alternative classification. Karyotyping was normal; next-generation sequencing revealed pathogenic variants in TP53, RB1, DAXX, ASXL1, TET2, and SRSF2, and a rare extracellular-domain KIT p.D419del. He declined inpatient midostaurin, deteriorated rapidly, and died 2 weeks later. Clinical discussion: This case illustrates a therapy-related MCL (plausible but unconfirmed given the non-leukemogenic profile of methotrexate and the focal nature of prostate stereotactic body radiation therapy) with a suspected associated myeloid neoplasm and complex pathogenic mutations. The KIT p.D419del extracellular domain variant is a rare non-D816V mutation; the canonical D816V was not detected on NGS, though the presence of a low-variant allele fraction D816V cannot be fully excluded due to assay sensitivity. Despite midostaurin, the disease remained aggressive. Conclusion: Persistent unexplained cytopenias warrant heightened suspicion of MCL, and comprehensive genomic profiling clarifies diagnosis, distinguishes overlapping myeloid disease, and informs prognosis in this aggressive, refractory neoplasm.