Neutropenic enterocolitis: A rare presenting complication of acute leukemia

Neutropenic enterocolitis is a necrotizing inflammatory process with intram ural infection that occurs predominantly in neutropenic patients. This synd rome is most frequently observed after chemotherapy for hematologic and sol id tissue malignancies, but it can also be observed in a number of other cl inical settings as well. Neutropenic enterocolitis can be a rare presenting complication of acute leukemia. We report a case of acute lymphoblastic le ukemia that presented with abdominal pain due to neutropenic enterocolitis. The diagnostic and treatment challenges associated with this manner of pre sentation are discussed. Am. J. Hematol. 66:213-219, 2001, Published 2001 W iley-Liss, Inc.dagger.