# Leukemic appendix with clinical presentation that mimics acute appendicitis

## TL;DR

This paper presents a rare case of a woman with a leukemic appendix that mimicked acute appendicitis.

## Contribution

The novelty lies in describing an unusual complication of AML in a patient in remission.

## Key findings

- AML can lead to rare complications such as leukemic appendix.
- Clinical presentation of leukemic appendix can resemble acute appendicitis.
- This case highlights the need for careful diagnosis in AML patients.

## Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignant neoplasm characterized by the uncontrolled, clonal growth of hematopoietic cells. It is the most common acute leukemia in adults, with a median age at diagnosis of 69 years and an incidence of 4.2 cases and mortality of 2.7 per 100,00 people per year in the USA, as reported by SEER (2025) and Shallis et al. (Blood Rev 36:70–87, 2019). With the advent of more detailed molecular studies, next-generation sequencing, and novel therapies, the prognosis for patients with AML has significantly improved, as discussed by Shimony et al. (Am J Hematol 98(3):502–526, 2023). However, there are numerous complications of treatment and progression of disease that can affect patients’ quality of life and overall survival, as detailed by Khwaja et al. (Nat Rev Dis Primer 2(1):1–22, 2016). Below, we describe an unusual complication of AML in a woman who previously achieved complete remission.