Leukemia Cutis

Abstract

Leukemia cutis is an uncommon cutaneous eruption that may be difficult to diagnose. In the vast majority of patients, there is a known history of leukemia at the time of the skin manifestations. However, leukemia may have its initial manifestation in the skin, in some cases with simultaneous bone marrow involvement, or less commonly, in the absence of simultaneous marrow involvement. (In these cases, the cutaneous eruptions have been called extramedullary myeloid tumors (1)). In one series, approximately 38% of patients had cutaneous findings at the time of bone marrow diagnosis (2). In other series, anywhere from 3% to 7% of patients had cutaneous lesions prior to detection of marrow involvement (3). Patients with all types of leukemia may demonstrate cutaneous lesions. It has been reported in 2% to 3% of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (4). Cutaneous involvement is less common in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (5). Chronic myelogenous leukemia patients have skin manifestations in 6% to 20% of cases (6). The incidence ranges from 4% to 20% in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (7).