Chronic lymphocytic leukemia showing pituitary tumor with massive leukemic cell infiltration, and special reference to clinicopathological findings of CLL

Abstract

An autopsy case of a 33 years old doctor with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) was reported. Two remissions were noted with chemotherapy and irradiation. The special characteristic of this case was the tumor formation in the sellar fossa similating a pituitary tumor which was considered as a type of meningeal leukemia, showing visual disturbance. Leukemic cell infiltration was hardly observed in any other organs. From the analysis of five cases of CLL, the author proposes that CLL may be classified into two types: the one is the severe type showing a short clinical course and the other is a mild one, showing a long clinical course. Details such as histopathological findings, cause of death and clinical findings were discussed.