Bone marrow involvement in cutaneous mastocytosis.
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous mastocytosis is considered a relatively benign and indolent form of mast cell disease, which either ultimately regresses, remains stable or is only slowly progressive. Previously, it has been purported that no more than 60% of adult patients with cutaneous mastocytosis will have occult bone marrow involvement.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequency of bone marrow involvement in patients with mastocytosis but without systemic symptoms.


METHODS
Bone marrow aspirate and trephine biopsy were performed in 13 consecutive patients with cutaneous mastocytosis attending our department.


RESULTS
All but one of these patients had evidence of bone marrow involvement. Bone marrow cytogenetic abnormalities have been found in patients with cutaneous mastocytosis: all our patients who were analysed showed a normal karyotype.


CONCLUSIONS
Bone marrow involvement is common in adults with cutaneous mastocytosis.
Departments of Dermatology and Haematology, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London SW10 9NH, U.K. louisefearfield@compuserve.com
L A
LA
Fearfield
N
N
Francis
K
K
Henry
C
C
Costello
C B
CB
Bunker
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D014582:Urticaria Pigmentosa / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*