A rare cause of postmenopausal bleeding: chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Abstract

Objective

Postmenopausal bleeding has been reported in about 4–11% of menopausal women. The most common cause of postmenopausal bleeding is atrophy of the vaginal mucosa or endometrium. Endometrial hyperplasia, endometrial polyps, submucous leiomyomas and endometrial cancers are also known causes of postmenopausal bleeding. Here, we present a patient whose cause of postmenopausal vaginal bleeding was infiltration of the endometrium with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

Case report

A 78-year-old woman, who has been followed up with a diagnosis of CLL for 5 years, presented with a complaint of postmenopausal bleeding. After dilation and curettage, pathology revealed that the cause of the postmenopausal bleeding was CLL infiltration into the endometrium.

Conclusion

Any involvement of the female genital organs in CLL is rare. Therefore, hematological malignancies should be considered in the differential diagnosis of postmenopausal bleeding.

绝经后出血的罕见原因:慢性淋巴细胞白血病 摘要

目的：据报道, 大约4%-11%的绝经女性有绝经后出血。绝经后出血最常见的原因是阴道粘膜或子宫内膜萎缩。子宫内膜增生、子宫内膜息肉、粘膜下子宫平滑肌瘤和子宫内膜癌也是绝经后出血的原因。在此, 我们介绍一位患者, 其绝经后阴道出血的原因是慢性淋巴细胞白血病(CLL)的子宫内膜浸润。

病例报道:一位78岁的女性, 以CLL为诊断随访了5年, 主诉为绝经后出血。经刮宫后, 病理提示绝经后出血的原因是CLL浸润子宫内膜。

结论: CLL累及女性生殖器官很少见。因此, 在绝经后出血的鉴别诊断中应考虑血液系统恶性肿瘤。

Keywords:

• Case report
• chronic lymphocytic leukemia
• small lymphocytic lymphoma
• postmenopausal bleeding

Compliance with ethical standards statements

The authors obtained approval from the head of the relevant department for the publication of this case report in scientific journals, and state that they followed the principles set out in the Helsinki Declaration.

In Umraniye Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, the approval of the hospital ethics committee is not required for the publication of case reports in scientific journals. It is sufficient to have the knowledge and permission of the clinical chief of the relevant department. A letter of approval was received from the clinical chief of the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department of the Umraniye Training and Research Hospital for the presentation of this case.

Informed consent

Consent was obtained for the use of the pathology results related to the patient's current disease, surgical procedures and diseases in scientific research or as case reports, to be published in scientific journals, and to be presented orally or in writing at congresses and conferences.

Potential conflict of interest

The authors state that there is no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.