Chronic myeloid leukemia presenting with extramedullary disease as massive ascites responding to imatinib mesylate

Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) can develop extramedullary involvement during the course of the illness. This usually occurs during the accelerated phase or blast crisis. We describe a patient who presented with massive ascites probably due to mesenteric/peritoneal infiltration during chronic phase CML. There was an excellent response to imatinib with a complete cytogenetic response and total disappearance of ascites.