Central nervous system complications of a newly recognized subtype of leukemia

Abstract

Ten patients with acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMML) and inversion of chromosome 16 who had CNS involvement were identified at M.D. Anderson Hospital between January 1972 and December 1984. The nervous system signs and symptoms were evaluated in detail. CT scans, CSF cytologies, and treatment modalities were reviewed. Two patients underwent biopsies of lesions that proved to be granulocytic sarcomas. AMML with inversion 16 carries a much higher (33%) incidence of CNS involvement in the form of leptomeningeal metastasis and/or granulocytic sarcoma than all other acute nonlymphocytic leukemias (5%). The reason for this appears to be related to the chromosomal aberration and not to prolonged survival.