Association between chronic lymphocytic leukemia and sarcoidosis: clinical value of bronchoalveolar lavage

We report a case of sarcoidosis, occurred in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) shortly following the completion of initial chemotherapy, who relapsed shortly after a second course. Since bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) demonstrated a predominance of CD4+ lymphocytes, it largely excluded spread of the malignant disorder to the lung, and strongly suggested that sarcoidosis was the cause of the pulmonary infiltrates. This diagnosis was confirmed by the finding of non-caseating granuloma on transbronchial lung biopsy.