Successful treatment of leukaemia cutis with cladribine in a patient with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia

Cutaneous presentation of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) is uncommon, and the influence of skin changes on B-CLL prognosis is unclear. We report a patient with B-CLL Rai II, with multiple nodular skin infiltrations on the trunk, upper arms and thighs as well as constitutional symptoms, who was successfully treated with cladribine. The peripheral blood (PB) lymphocytes were CD19, CD20, CD23 and CD5 positive, which confirmed the diagnosis of B-CLL. Skin biopsy of one of the lesions showed an intense infiltrate composed of small lymphocytes with no epidermotropism. These cells also showed the expression of CD19, CD20, CD23 and CD5 antigens similar to those presented on PB lymphocytes. Polymerase chain reaction perfomed on bone marrow lymphocytes and a lesional skin biopsy using consensus primers for immunoglobulin heavy-chain genes also showed the same monoclonal population of B lymphocytes both in the bone marrow and in the skin. The patient received four courses of cladribine 0.12 mg kg(-1) daily as a 2-h infusion for five consecutive days. The courses were repeated at monthly intervals. The lymphocytosis gradually decreased and the PB count normalized after three courses. At the same time, a significant decrease in the cutaneous symptoms was observed. The patient became free of skin tumours after the fourth course of cladribine; only slight discoloration at the previous sites of cutaneous infiltration remained. There was no relapse of leukaemia cutis during a further 7 months of observation.