The association of erythrocytosis and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
The authors report the clinical course of three patients with well-documented chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and concomitant erythrocytosis. Associated disorders included immune cytopenias, Hashimoto struma and Richter syndrome. Durable complete remissions of CLL have occurred in two patients. Inasmuch as a chance association of these two relatively rare hematologic disorders is unlikely, the available information suggests that a pluripotent stem cell with the capacity to differentiate into lymphoid and erythroid pathways is the most attractive hypothesis.
Ballard
H S
HS
Medical Service, Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, New York, New York 10010.
Kouri
Y
Y
D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011086:Polycythemia / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology