Spectrum of mucocutaneous manifestations in an Asian cohort of patients with leukemia.

BACKGROUND: Literature on cutaneous manifestations of leukemia is limited.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the pattern of mucocutaneous manifestations in adult Asian patients with leukemia and to establish their relation with the leukemia type.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: After previous consent, 196 consecutively registered patients with leukemia aged ≥18 years were recruited. All patients were prospectively followed for 3 months to evaluate the patterns of mucocutaneous involvement. The mucocutaneous manifestations were categorized into specific lesions with leukemic infiltration and non-specific lesions.

RESULTS: Seventy-nine (40.3%) of 196 (males 128 and females 68) recruited patients showed one or more mucocutaneous manifestations. The total number of complaints observed was 87 with mean number of dermatoses per patient being 0.44. Specific manifestations (leukemia cutis) were present in six (3.06%) and nonspecific mucocutaneous manifestations in 73 (37.2%, reactive dermatoses n = 21 and infections n = 52). Cutaneous viral infections were significantly associated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (P < 0.005). Antiviral prophylaxis with acyclovir significantly reduced the incidence of varicella-zoster infection (P = 0.016).

CONCLUSION: Cutaneous manifestations are common in Asian patients with leukemia, and a thorough cutaneous examination will aid in their management.