Leukemia (thoracic manifestations)

Thoracic manifestations of leukaemia can be divided into those related to the disease itself and those associated with its treatment. Leukaemias are haematologic malignancies in which occur a proliferation of haematopoietic cells at an undifferentiated or partially differentiated stage of maturation.

Direct involvement

In the thorax,

• lymphadenopathy
  • the most frequent manifestation of leukaemia is lymphadenopathy, butin the involvement of the lungs, pleura, heart, bones, and soft tissues (e.g. breastthorax
  • commonly seen in lymphoid leukaemias
  • axillary lymphadenopathy is more common in CLL (~48%) may also occur ⁶.  
• pulmonary leukaemic infiltrates
• pulmonary leukostasis
• myeloid sarcoma
  • although the thorax is uncommonly involved, it may occur in the lungs, pleura, mediastinum, chest wall, and breast ⁶

Treatment-related complications

• superimposed infection
• drug-related pathology
  • all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) syndrome