B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most prevalent leukemia in the United States, and its diagnosis can have many dermatologic implications. For one, the cutaneous manifestations of CLL include several entities, most notably leukemia cutis, eosinophilic dermatosis of hematologic malignancy, and a heightened risk of skin infections.Additionally, CLL patients are at an increased risk of secondary malignancies, most commonly of the skin. Furthermore, a number of commonly utilized treatments for CLL have cutaneous implications which should be considered in the interdisciplinary management of CLL patients. In this review, we will provide an update on the diverse cutaneous manifestations of CLL and CLL-directed therapies in order to help guide dermatologic management of this increasingly prevalent patient population.
Key points• B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the most prevalent leukemia in the United States and has many associated dermatologic implications.• Dermatologists should consider primary leukemic infiltration, increased incidence and severity of secondary cutaneous malignancies, and the cutaneous manifestations of commonly utilized treatments when managing this patient population.
Diagnosis of oncohematologic diseaseRecurrent episodes of pruritic papules, nodules, urticarial plaques, or vesiculobullous eruptions, refractory to standard treatment Eosinophilic infiltrate on histopathology Exclusion of other causes of tissue eosinophilia