title: Granulocytic sarcoma of the spine in nonleukemic patients: report of three cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Granulocytic sarcomas involving the spine in patients without myelogenous leukemia are rare. We report three cases and review the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three patients presented with spinal epidural tumors, which caused spinal cord compression in one and cauda equina compression in two.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients underwent surgery, and biopsies revealed histological features of granulocytic sarcomas. Bone marrow aspirates and biopsies showed no evidence of acute leukemia at initial presentation, for all three patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Granulocytic sarcomas in nonleukemic patients are rare, and when they affect the spine they are frequently misdiagnosed. Appropriate therapy for these tumors requires early identification.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Deme
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Deodhare
authors.forename: W S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bilbao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D015174:Epidural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D013117:Spinal Cord Compression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed