Donor-derived breast cancer in a bone marrow transplantation recipient

Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2009 Jan;113(2):211-3. doi: 10.1007/s10549-008-9922-7. Epub 2008 Feb 9.

Abstract

We present the case of a young lady who had been treated for acute myelocytic leukemia at the age of 14 by means of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, the donor being her sister. At the age of 28 she underwent modified radical mastectomy for invasive breast adenocarcinoma. Genetic analysis revealed chimeric cellular populations on both the tumour and normal tissues of the patient with preponderance of donor-derived cells. We conclude that the patient's epithelia had been repopulated by donor-derived hemopoietic stem cells which gave rise to a malignant mammary neoplasm several years later. The donor remains healthy to date. This case adds weight to the theory of pluripotent normal and neoplastic stem cell histogenesis and emphasizes the pivotal role of supporting host stroma in carcinogenesis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adenocarcinoma / etiology*
  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation / adverse effects*
  • Breast Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic*
  • DNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Female
  • Hematopoietic Stem Cells / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid / surgery
  • Living Donors
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology*
  • Pluripotent Stem Cells / pathology
  • Pluripotent Stem Cells / transplantation*
  • Stromal Cells / drug effects
  • Stromal Cells / physiology
  • Stromal Cells / radiation effects
  • Transplantation Conditioning / adverse effects
  • Transplantation, Homologous / adverse effects*

Substances

  • DNA, Neoplasm