MINIMALLY DIFFERENTIATED ACUTE MYELOID-LEUKEMIA REVEALED BY SPECIFIC CUTANEOUS LESIONS

Minimally differentiated acute myeloid leukaemia (AML-MO) is a poorly differentiated type of acute myeloid leukaemia. Its myeloid differenti ation can only be demonstrated by the immunohistochemical or ultrastru ctural finding of cytoplasmic myeloperoxidase in bone marrow blasts an d/or by the immunohistochemical expression of at least one lineage-spe cific myeloid antigen, with no reactivity for lymphoid antigens. We de scribe a man with a cutaneous nodular eruption that represented the fi rst clinical manifestation of AML-MO. Histological examination showed extensive proliferation of blasts with scant basophilic cytoplasm. Imm unohistochemically, these expressed neither myeloid nor lymphoid-speci fic antigens, whereas they were focally positive for CD45. The diagnos is of AML-MO was confirmed by immunophenotypic analysis of a bone marr ow smear. A complete remission was achieved following parenteral stero id therapy. The disease relapsed some months later, and the patient di ed within a few weeks.