AUNUSUAL CASE OF ACUTE MYELOID LEUKEMIA PRESENTING AS PYREXIA OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN WITH DIFFUSE INFILTRATIVE BONE LESIONS

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant neoplasm of hematopoietic stem cells, primarily affecting adults (median age around 65–68 years)[1]. It usually presents with signs of bone marrow failure – anemia (pallor, fatigue), thrombocytopenia (bleeding, petechiae), and neutropenia (infections, fever)[2]. Lymphadenopathy or organomegaly can occur, but overt skeletal symptoms are uncommon. AML only rarely manifests with bone pain or radiologic bone lesions at presentation. We describe an unusual case of an 18-year-old male who presented with prolonged fever (pyrexia of unknown origin) and severe multifocal bone pain, ultimately diagnosed as AML with infiltrative osteolytic bone lesions. This report discusses the rarity of bone lesions in AML, treatment modalities, and key takeaways from this case, with references to recent literature.