Skin metastasis in patient with hairy cell leukemia: case report and review of literature.

The reported case of Hairy cell leukemia (HCL) refers to a 47-year-old man with pancytopenia, splenomegaly, a month and a half history of dyspnea on mild effort and in common daily activities and a purplish-brown cutaneous node on the back of the left hand at the time of hospital admission. Bone marrow aspiration showed an infiltration by a lymphoproliferative malignancy and the following cytochemical studies on bone marrow sample led to diagnosis of HCL. The biopsy of the skin lesion revealed a infiltrate of medium and large-size cells in the dermis with the the same cytologic features of leukemic blasts appearing in the bone marrow, upon which the diagnosis of Leukemia cutis was established. The differential diagnosis of leukemia includes other neoplastic hematopoietic disorders, such as lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndromes, multiple myeloma, aplastic anemia, severe megaloblastic anemia, severe lymphocytosis, severe monocytosis, and bone marrow failure. In our case, the skin lesion was surgically removed and then left to heal by secondary intention due to the presence of bacterial infection by Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes. The wound was finally medicated to total healing with Promogran®, an advanced dressings which consists of a sterile, freeze-dried matrix composed of collagen and oxidised regenerated cellulose. The importance of our case lies in the fact that cases with association of HCL with leukemia cutis are very rare, and furthermore that after the excision of the skin lesion of the left hand, the surgeons heal to let the wound close by secondary intention.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation in children with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia isolated to the central nervous system.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is the standard of care for pediatric patients with early medullary relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Most patients with isolated central nervous system (CNS) relapse have good outcomes when treated with intrathecal and systemic chemotherapy followed by irradiation to the neuroaxis. However, the role of HCT remains unclear for those patients with early isolated CNS relapse (<18 months) or who had high risk disease at diagnosis. We therefore compared the HCT outcomes of 116 children treated at the University of Minnesota from 1991 to 2006 with relapsed ALL involving the CNS alone (CNS, n = 14), the bone marrow alone (BM, n = 85), or both bone marrow and CNS (BM + CNS, n = 17). There were no significant differences among groups in age at diagnosis or transplant, length of first complete remission (CR1), remission status (CR2 versus >or=CR3), graft source, or preparative regimen. The incidence of acute GVHD was similar between groups. Patients with isolated CNS relapse had the lowest cumulative incidence of mortality following transplant (CNS: 0%, BM: 19%, BM + CNS: 29%, P = .03) and relapse (CNS: 0% BM: 30%, BM + CNS: 12%, at 2 years, P = .01) and highest leukemia-free survival (CNS: 91%, BM: 35%, BM + CNS: 46%, P < .01) at 5 years. Risk factors for poor survival were: T cell leukemia or BCR-ABL gene rearrangement, history of marrow relapse, and receipt of HLA-mismatched marrow. These data support the use of allogeneic HCT in the treatment of children with poor prognosis isolated CNS relapse.

Leukaemic infiltration of the mandible in a young girl.

BACKGROUND: This report presents a case of leukaemic infiltration of the mandible in a 10-year-old female of Sudanese extraction. CASE REPORT: The patient was in remission from acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when she presented with pain localized to the alveolar ridge overlying the unerupted lower right second permanent molar. Two days later, she developed right inferior alveolar nerve paraesthesia. Radiographic imaging demonstrated cortical line absence around the developing lower right second and third permanent molars, and distal displacement of the lower right third molar. In addition, the cortical outline of the right inferior dental canal lacked clarity. Biopsy confirmed leukaemia recurrence demonstrating the Philadelphia chromosome. Tailored chemotherapy was commenced, and a bone marrow transplant was carried out 12 weeks later. At 6-month dental review, the patient remained exceptionally well with no bone pain and normal sensation in the right lower lip. CONCLUSION: The importance of regular and long-term dental examination of patients with leukaemia is discussed.

A case of leukemia of the appendix presenting as acute appendicitis.

A 71-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of right lower abdominal pain. He was suspected of having acute appendicitis and soon after admission, appendectomy was performed. Macroscopically, the appendix was greatly swollen and reddened, but had no abscess. Microscopically, polymorphonuclear leukocytes were not found, but diffuse infiltration of atypical cells was observed. Examination of a bone marrow aspirate revealed 74% blasts that were peroxidase stain positive. We diagnosed acute myelogenous leukemia (FAB classification, M2). He received induction chemotherapy, but died 49 days after admission. Leukemic cell infiltration of the appendix is rare and acute appendicitis as the initial manifestation of leukemia is even rarer.

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia revealed by uncontrollable hematuria.

Nephrectomy was performed for uncontrollable unilateral hematuria in an apparently healthy 72-year-old man. The suburothelial connective tissue of the kidney was infiltrated by primitive myeloid cells with associated acute vasculitis and foci of extramedullary hematopoiesis. Subsequently, the patient was shown to have chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Although renal involvement and vasculitis have been recorded previously in chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, this is the first occasion, to our knowledge, where their concurrence resulted in such a spectacular presentation.

Magnetic resonance imaging diagnosis of metastasis of chronic myelocytic leukemia to the uterus.

We report a case of chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) in which the initial manifestation of blastic crisis was massive genital bleeding. The bleeding was diagnosed as being caused by CML metastasis to the uterus on the basis of the magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Lumbar intervertebral disc involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A case report.

STUDY DESIGN: Report of a patient with a rare location of a solid chronic lymphocytic leukemic mass of an intervertebral lumbar disc. OBJECTIVES: To illustrate the previously undescribed discovertebral involvement of chronic lymphocytic leukemia and to discuss the diagnostic difficulties. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia primarily involves lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and bone marrow. Bone lesions are rare in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and usually consist of areas of osteopenia. Spinal involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia is rare, and only two cases of spinal cord compression attributable to an extradural solid mass composed of leukemic cells have been reported. Intervertebral disc involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia has not been reported previously. METHODS: The clinical findings, radiographs, histology, treatment, and follow-up results are presented. RESULTS: Radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging studies showed partial collapse of vertebrae L2 and L3, with destruction and protrusion of the intervertebral disc L2-L3 with dura compression. Treatment consisted of radiotherapy followed by en bloc resection of vertebrae L2 and L3 stabilized with stackable cages and anterior fixation with Kaneda bars. Intervertebral disc infiltration with leukemic cells of B-cell origin was confirmed through histologic examination and immunohistochemical studies of a biopsy and resection specimen. Twenty months after treatment the patient was still in remission and fully mobilized. CONCLUSIONS: Intervertebral disc involvement in cases of chronic lymphocytic leukemia is rare. Its presence should be considered in patients with back pain and neurologic symptoms who had been treated for this form of leukemia in the past. Differentiation with infectious spondylodiscitis can be difficult. Histology is necessary to confirm diagnosis.