[Acute pancreatitis due to hypercalcemia revealing adult T-cell leukemia].

INTRODUCTION

Hypercalcemia frequently occurs in the course of Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL). We report the first case of acute pancreatitis revealing ATLL.

EXEGESIS: A 41-year-old woman, without medical history, presented with acute pancreatitis. Physical examination found recent loss of weight, hepatosplenomegaly and generalised lymphoadenopathy. Biochemical tests showed severe hypercalcemia and the peripheral white blood cell count revealed an atypical lymphocytosis. ATLL was diagnosed by immunophenotypic and morphological analysis of circulating lymphocytes, bone marrow and lymphatic node biopsy. Level of serum parathyroid hormone-related protein was not increased. We discuss the mechanism of hypercalcemia in this context.

CONCLUSION

In spite of the high prevalence of hypercalcemia in ATLL, acute pancreatitis revealing this pathology is an exceptional condition.