Twenty three cases of childhood leukemias were autopsied during the last 10 years from 1974 and their histologic studies were reported.
1) Leukemic involvement was found frequently, with the following order: in the lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, lungs and kidneys, and the incidence ranged from 91 percent to 57 percent. The involvement was less frequent in the thymus, adrenals, gastrointestinal tract, testes, ovaries, CNS, heart and skin. The extramedullary leukemic infiltration during marrow remission was also noted.
2) The morphologic changes referable to drug toxicity were fatty metamorphosis of hepatocytes and degenerative atrophy of the adrenals.
3) The lympho-reticular proliferation of the marrow, nodes or spleen during the course of leukemia was a characteristic finding, occurring as frequent as 65 percent to 70 percent. On the other hand, the thymus showed conspicuous involution, i.e. degeneration and atrophy of Hassal's bodies and decreased thymic lymphocytes. These changes could be referable to drug effects, mostly steroids.
4) Infection was also characteristic finding of the cases with leukemia and pulmonary infection was most frequently found with the incidence of 57 percent. Candida, aspergillus or virus infections were also noted.
5) Haemorrhage was seen of this order in the lungs, adrenals, spleen, kidneys, GI tract and CNS with the incidence of 20 percent to 62 percent.
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