A Rare Case of Leukemia Cutis as the First Presentation of a Myelodysplastic Syndrome to Acute Myeloid Leukemia Transformation

Leukemia cutis (LC) is a rare presentation of leukemia. It is characterized by the infiltration of leukemic cells into the different layers of the skin causing varying skin manifestations. It can occur before the hematological presentation of leukemia or during the disease course and carries a poor prognosis. Here, we report a patient with therapy-related myelodysplastic syndrome (t-MDS) whose transformation to acute leukemia was heralded by the development of LC. Worrisome cutaneous lesions should not be overlooked, and a skin biopsy should be pursued to confirm the diagnosis. A high index of suspicion is the key to early recognition of sometimes nonspecific skin findings of widespread systemic disease.Open access journalThis item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at repository@u.library.arizona.edu