Meningeal involvement in patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia. Incidence, management, and predictive factors

Between 1977 and 1983, symptomatic meningeal leukemia was diagnosed in 9 of 93 adult patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (10%). All cases occurred after complete remission had been achieved (46 patients), either as the only site of relapse (3 patients), or together with a first bone marrow relapse (3 patients), or after a bone marrow relapse (3 patients). Extramedullary involvement at initial diagnosis was the only independent predictive factor (P = 0.005), the number of patients with initial hyperleukocytosis being too small (three) for evaluation. Remission of the meningeal leukemia was obtained after treatment in four of eight patients. The presence of meningeal leukemia and the response to therapy had no influence on survival. However, the morbidity and therapy related toxicity of meningeal leukemia were impressive. Some recommendations for prophylactic treatment are suggested.