Open AccessAleukemic Leukemia Cutis Presenting as Benign-appearing Exanthema
Author(s) -
Silke Metzger Anja Benez
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
acta dermato-venereologica
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.982
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1651-2057
pISSN - 0001-5555
DOI - 10.1080/00015550117638
Subject(s) - leukemia cutis , medicine , cutis , pathology , leukemia , bone marrow , skin biopsy , biopsy , acute monocytic leukemia , dermatology , immunology
Aleukemic leukemia cutis is a rare condition characterized by the infiltration of the skin by leukemic cells before their appearance in the peripheral blood or bone marrow. We report here a 62-year-old seemingly healthy patient who presented with disseminated erythematous maculae. A skin biopsy showed leukemia cutis of monocytic type. No involvement of bone marrow or peripheral blood was found. The patient developed acute monocytic leukemia 7 months later. We present this case to illustrate how leukemia cutis can masquerade as a clinically benign-appearing cutaneous eruption without leukemic changes in blood or bone marrow. To confirm the diagnosis of aleukemic leukemia cutis, immunohistochemistry of the skin lesions as well as a complete staging procedure is necessary.