title: Leukemia cutis presenting as a scrotal ulcer.
abstract: A patient with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia developed a painful scrotal ulcer thought initially to be caused by infection. The lesion failed to heal with oral antibiotic therapy and local wound care. Histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen revealed an infiltrate of leukemic cells. This cutaneous lesion heralded the relapse of acute myelogenous leukemia. A review of the literature indicates that acute nonlymphocytic leukemia rarely presents as an ulcer or on the genitalia, thus emphasizing the uniqueness of this case regarding morphology, and site of presentation. To our knowledge, this is the first case of leukemia cutis presenting as a scrotal ulcer. Therefore leukemia cutis should be added to the differential diagnosis of chronic genital ulcers. Also, because a variety of skin lesions may signify the relapse of leukemia, any skin lesion in a patient with leukemia should be examined by biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Louisville, KY.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Zax
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Kulp-Shorten
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Callen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D012611:Scrotum; D014456:Ulcer / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents