[Leukemia cutis: clinical and histopathological analysis of 14 cases]

We report 14 cases of leukemia cutis registered at Department of Dermatology, Veterans General Hospital Over a period of 18 years. There were one patient with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), one with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), seven with acute monocytic leukemia (AMOL), one with acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMML), and four with chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML). Multiple papules and nodules were the most frequent clinical lesions. Metastatic skin lesions occurred most commonly on legs (71%), followed by arms (64%), back (50%), anterior chest (50%), scalp (14%), and face (14%). The feet (7%) were rarely involved while palms and soles were rarely involved. Cutaneous leukemic lesions may be concomitant with or after, but never before the diagnosis of systemic leukemia in our series has had such change. In general, the histopathology of leukemia cutis showed diffuse or nodular infiltration of leukemic cells in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, often typing of leukemia relays on more confirmative studies of peripheral smear and bone marrow biopsy. Leukemia cutis seems to be dissemination of systemic leukemia to the skin, and the presence of cutaneous leukemic lesions are associated with a very poor prognosis. Most patients (85%) died within 4 months after appearance of skin metastasis.