Acute leukemic infiltration of the prostate. Successful treatment with radiation

Infiltration of the prostate by acute granulocytic leukemia can cause diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties. After stabilization of hematologic findings, the diagnosis can be made safely by needle biopsy of the prostate. The prostate may be one of the so-called sanctuary areas where chemotherapy does not affect the leukemic infiltrate. This process may be a source of reactivation of leukemia in patients who had achieved a hematologic remission. This report describes a patient who had successful eradication of acute myelomonocytic leukemia from the prostate by radiation therapy while in hematologic remission. Better surveillance for leukemic infiltrate of the prostate is needed, including needle biopsy when appropriate. Radiation may be an effective therapy for this manifestation of leukemia.