Meningeal leukemia complicating chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Two patients with classic chronic lymphocytic leukemia had meningeal leukemia as a complication of their disease. Intrathecal chemotherapy was successful in eradicating signs and symptoms of meningeal involvement. One of these patients is alive without evidence of central nervous system leukemia 30 months after diagnosis of meningeal leukemia, and 5 1/2 years after the diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Although uncommon, meningeal involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia may occur at various times in the course of the disease, it responds to conventional therapy.