Abstract
A case of leukemic reticulosis of acute type was reported. A 11 year-old boy was admitted with complaints of jaundice and general fatigue in April 1974. Major physical findings included anemia, hepatomegaly and jaundice and diagnosis of acute hepatitis was suspected. He was discharged with disappearance of jaundice after two weeks treatment.
One month later he was readmitted because of nausea, vomiting and development of hepatosplenomegaly. On admission the peripheral hematological findings revealed severe anemia, mild thrombocytopenia and leukopenia with 7% of atypical leukemic cells. The bone marrow showed same atypical cells comprising 89% of the cell population. Cytological and cytochemical studies of bone marrow aspirates revealed this case to be a leukemic reticulosis of acute type or Schilling type of monocytic leukemia. The combination chemotherapy including vincristine and prednisolone was started, followed by complete remission lasting about 7 months. In April 1975 this case entered the second complete remission of 3 months duration after receiving intensive multi-combination chemotherapy. Thereafter, his disease became refractory to the chemotherapy. He died of septicemia 21 months after the diagnosis of the disease in Februally 1976.
Autopsy revealed that bone marrow, lymphnode, spleen, liver and kidney were diffusely infiltrated by leukemic cells, but no localized tumor was noted in any tissue.
