Neurological Complications of Acute Leukemia in Adults: Changing Rate

In a large series of adults with acute leukemia followed by the same hematology service, prior to 1970, there were only two instances of clinically apparent central nervous system involvement, in 230 cases of acute granulocytic leukemia and 38 cases of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. From 1970 to 1972, perhaps associated with an increased remission rate, 7 of 41 patients with acute granulocytic leukemia and 7 of 12 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed central nervous system involvement. Headaches, papilledema, and cranial nerve palsies were common in these cases. The patients with acute granulocytic leukemia also showed evidence of compression of neural structures by malignant cells.