[Cerebro-meningeal involvement in acute myeloblastic leukaemia and myeloproliferative syndromes in acute transformation. Cytological, histological and clinical study of 62 cases (author's transl)].

Clinical and histopathologic study of central nervous system (CNS) was performed in 46 acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and 16 chronic granulocytic leukemia in the blastic phase (CGL). Involvement of the CNS developed in 28 cases. Eighteen patients out of these 28 had neurological symptoms. The frequency of meningeal leukemia depends on the number of lumbar punctures and on the survival time. Post-mortem examination was performed on 45 patients. Eighteen had evidence of CNS leukemic infiltration (18/45 arachnoid, 10/31 dura, 5/45 brain). Hemorrhages are frequent even without CNS involvement (19/27). CNS leukemic infiltration is common enough in AML and CGL to justify agressive diagnostic, therapeutic, and prophylactic measures.