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A case of monocytic leukaemia cutis in a patient with myelodysplastic syndrome transforming to acute myeloid leukaemia
Author(s) -
Perez A.,
Kennedy C.,
Standen G.,
Oxley J.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
clinical and experimental dermatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.587
H-Index - 78
eISSN - 1365-2230
pISSN - 0307-6938
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2230.2004.01578.x
Subject(s) - medicine , leukemia cutis , myeloid leukaemia , context (archaeology) , myelodysplastic syndromes , bone marrow , myeloid , biopsy , dermatology , paleontology , biology
Summary A 49‐year‐old woman presented with a 1‐year‐history of a widespread eruption which proved to be due to leukaemia cutis. Subsequently, she developed pancytopaenia and a bone marrow biopsy revealed refractory anaemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEB‐T) with a high monoblastic component. This transformed into acute myeloid leukaemia. Leukaemia cutis in this context is well described but in this patient it became manifest 1 year prior to referral to the dermatologist. When occurring with a myelodysplastic syndrome, leukaemia cutis often heralds malignant transformation to acute myeloid leukaemia. Prompt diagnosis in this situation may identify a group of high‐risk patients with myelodysplastic syndrome for whom chemotherapy and allogenic bone marrow transplantation, rather than the more conventional approach of supportive treatment, could be a more appropriate management strategy.