Central nervous system involvement of previously undiagnosed chronic lymphocytic leukemia in a patient with neuroborreliosis

Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Resulting in Hemorrhagic Brain Masses After Sepsis

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) rarely results in central nervous system (CNS) involvement. When CLL does affect the CNS, it typically manifests as leptomeningeal involvement, not commonly causing parenchymal involvement unless having undergone a higher grade transformation. We report a case of a patient with untreated CLL who presented with a large right frontal hemorrhagic mass along with additional bilateral masses after being found unresponsive. He had recently been hospitalized with Staphylococcus aureus sepsis. His neurological examination improved after resection of the largest mass however deteriorated again with accumulation of blood in the resection cavity requiring evacuation of the blood products and placement of an external ventricular drain. Pathology from the initial resection revealed sheets of CD20 consistent with untransformed CLL. Additionally, there were areas of necrosis and gram-positive organisms. Given the unusual presentation with large hemorrhagic brain masses, we suspect that the antecedent bacteremia may have resulted in blood-brain barrier breakdown and seeding of the CNS parenchyma with CLL cells.

Leptomeningeal Carcinomatosis in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Leptomeningeal disease is a rare complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). We report a case of leptomeningeal disease in CLL with a complete clinical response and clearance of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) after treatment with ibrutinib and intrathecal rituximab. In a comprehensive review of the published literature since 1976, we found 136 cases of CLL with leptomeningeal spread. We found that leptomeningeal disease in patients with CLL responds favorably to treatment in most cases and is associated with longer overall survival than is expected for other cancers. Clearance of CSF is associated with improved survival. Treatment with rituximab and ibrutinib is more frequently associated with complete response compared with older agents. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The incidence of leptomeningeal CLL is more common than previously described and can be recognized by attention to certain symptoms and signs. This case presentation and literature review reveals that, in many cases, leptomeningeal lymphomatosis is reversible with the use of rituximab and ibrutinib. The authors show a survival benefit associated with treating to cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) clearance by cytology and compare outcomes with various treatment strategies, focusing on novel agents. Now that there is effective therapy for leptomeningeal lymphoma in CLL, the importance for oncologists to recognize this neurologic complication has become clear.

Prevalence and characteristics of central nervous system involvement by chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Abroad array of conditions can lead to neurological symptoms in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients and distinguishing between clinically significant involvement of the central nervous system by chronic lymphocytic leukemia and symptoms due to other etiologies can be challenging. Between January 1999 and November 2014, 172 (4%) of the 4174 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia followed at our center had a magnetic resonance imaging of the central nervous system and/or a lumbar puncture to evaluate neurological symptoms. After comprehensive evaluation, the etiology of neurological symptoms was: central nervous system chronic lymphocytic leukemia in 18 patients (10% evaluated by imaging and/or lumbar puncture, 0.4% overall cohort); central nervous system Richter Syndrome in 15 (9% evaluated, 0.3% overall); infection in 40 (23% evaluated, 1% overall); autoimmune/inflammatory conditions in 28 (16% evaluated, 0.7% overall); other cancer in 8 (5% evaluated, 0.2% overall); and another etiology in 63 (37% evaluated, 1.5% overall). Although the sensitivity of cerebrospinal fluid analysis to detect central nervous system disease was 89%, the specificity was only 42% due to the frequent presence of leukemic cells in the cerebrospinal fluid in other conditions. No parameter on cerebrospinal fluid analysis (e.g. total nucleated cells, total lymphocyte count, chronic lymphocytic leukemia cell percentage) were able to offer a reliable discrimination between patients whose neurological symptoms were due to clinically significant central nervous system involvement by chronic lymphocytic leukemia and another etiology. Median overall survival among patients with clinically significant central nervous system chronic lymphocytic leukemia and Richter syndrome was 12 and 11 months, respectively. In conclusion, clinically significant central nervous system involvement by chronic lymphocytic leukemia is a rare condition, and neurological symptoms in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia are due to other etiologies in approximately 80% of cases. Analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid has high sensitivity but limited specificity to distinguish clinically significant chronic lymphocytic leukemia involvement from other etiologies.

Course and outcome of Early Lyme borreliosis in patients with hematological malignancies

Patients with erythema migrans and underlying hematological malignancy more often had signs of disseminated Lyme borreliosis and more frequently needed antibiotic retreatment than sex-, age-, and antibiotic treatment-matched immunocompetent persons with erythema migrans. However, the outcome was excellent in both groups.

Leptomeningeal involvement in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Central nervous system involvement is considered a rare complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and so there is the risk of being overlooked.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report a case of central nervous system involvement in a 75-year-old mulatto woman with chronic lymphocytic leukemia after 5 years of follow-up and a literature review on the subject. The clinical course, treatment and outcome are described. A systematic, meticulous and comprehensive analysis of existing publications regarding chronic lymphocytic leukemia with central nervous system involvement was performed.

CONCLUSION

We concluded that central nervous system involvement of chronic lymphocytic leukemia is probably not associated with any evident risk factors. Diagnostic approach differs by institutions but often includes imaging, morphology and flow cytometry. Resolution of central nervous system symptoms can usually be accomplished with intrathecal chemotherapy or irradiation followed by systemic treatment. The recognition of this entity by clinicians could lead to early detection and treatment, resulting in better outcomes in this rare complication.

Extramedullary chronic lymphocytic leukemia: systematic analysis of cases reported between 1975 and 2012

The prognostic significance of extra-medullary chronic lymphocytic leukemia (EM-CLL) is unknown. We conducted a Medline database systematic search analyzing English language articles published between 1975 and 2012 identifying 192 cases. Patients with EM-CLL were more commonly treated than not (p < .001). Skin and central nervous system (CNS) were the most commonly reported sites of organ involvement. Survival after diagnosis of EM-CLL appeared to depend on the site of EM involvement. Prospective evaluation and further studies of EM-CLL are warranted.

Spectrum of neurologic complications in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Neurologic disease is believed to be an unusual complication during the course of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Nevertheless, it has already been proven in autopsy series that the incidence of occult nervous system infiltration is much higher than was previously expected. The advent of more potent drugs to treat this lymphoproliferative disorder has brought a new hope for a possible cure in the future. However, an appropriate systemic treatment for central nervous system infiltration of this disease is still lacking. Also, due to the potent immunosuppressive properties of the agents used in the up-front treatment, for example, the purine nucleoside analogues, we have witnessed an increase in the incidence of opportunistic infections, with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy being one of the most serious. The goal of this review is to summarize the spectrum of neurologic derangements linked to chronic lymphocytic leukemia and to raise clinicians' awareness to recognize the possibility of such associations.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia with central nervous system involvement: report of two cases with a comprehensive literature review

Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is a rare complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with varied outcomes. We contribute two additional cases of CLL with CNS involvement. The clinical course and response to treatment are described. All 78 previously reported cases of CLL with CNS involvement are presented in this comprehensive review of the literature. CNS involvement of CLL is a rare complication that does not seem to correlate with any evident risk factors. Resolution of CNS symptoms can often be accomplished with intrathecal chemotherapy or irradiation. Early detection and treatment may result in better outcomes in this rare complication.

Lyme disease in a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia mimics leukemic meningeosis

BACKGROUND

Involvement of the central nervous system (CNS) is a rare complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and seems to be more frequent in patients with Richter's syndrome or prolymphocytic transformation. Cases with leptomeningeal involvement reported in the literature mostly do not discuss the definition of CLL-associated meningeosis and the exclusion of neuroborreliosis.

PATIENT AND METHODS

We present the case of a 75-year-old male patient who was admitted to a rural hospital with ataxia, disorientation, and signs of progressive CLL disease. He was diagnosed of suspicious meningeosis leukemica, and treatment was started with dexamethasone for leukemic CNS involvement.

RESULTS

When referred to our center, careful immunophenotyping of the CNS lymphocytes as well as assessment for infectious causes of lymphocytic meningitis led to the diagnosis of Lyme disease/neuroborreliosis. An antibiotic regimen with ceftriaxone for 3 weeks resulted in complete remission of all symptoms. There was no need for CLL treatment.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this case report should alert clinicians that lymphocytic meningeal involvement in CLL patients accounts for the rare leukemic meningeosis only if cerebrospinal fluid cells show a predominating immunophenotype of typical BCLL cells, i.e. by flow cytometry, and if any infectious cause including Lyme disease has been ruled out.