Faculty Collaboration Database

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a report of three cases and review of the literature. Clin Lymphoma Myeloma Leuk 2010 Feb;10(1):E1-9

Date

03/13/2010

Pubmed ID

20223720

DOI

10.3816/CLML.2010.n.009

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-77954061826 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   49 Citations

Abstract

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a demyelinating disease of the central nervous system caused by the John Cunningham (JC) virus, a DNA papovavirus. It is usually associated with conditions causing profound immunodeficiency, classically seen in patients with HIV/AIDS. Since its first description in 1958, PML has also been associated with various lymphoproliferative malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). With the use of newer chemotherapeutic agents such as the purine analogue fludarabine and various monoclonal antibodies in the treatment of CLL, more cases of PML are being described. In this article, we describe 3 patients encountered in our clinical practice having CLL and PML infection. All three patients had received fludarabine and rituximab at some point during the course of their chemotherapy. We provide these cases with a review of the literature.

Author List

D'Souza A, Wilson J, Mukherjee S, Jaiyesimi I

Author

Anita D'Souza MD Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Aged
Antibodies, Monoclonal
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Humans
Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell
Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Middle Aged