Skip to main content
Postgraduate Medical Journal logoLink to Postgraduate Medical Journal
. 1985 Aug;61(718):689–694. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.61.718.689

Pyoderma gangrenosum in myelodysplasia and acute leukaemia.

P Jacobs, S Palmer, E C Gordon-Smith
PMCID: PMC2418352  PMID: 4034458

Abstract

Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare occurrence in patients with haematological malignancy. This characteristic but nonspecific inflammatory process with skin destruction occurred in 4 patients with myelodysplasia, in one with acute leukaemic transformation of myelofibrosis, and in de novo acute myeloblastic leukaemia in another. Clinically, the cutaneous lesion in these patients differed from that associated with inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, or the idiopathic type of pyoderma gangrenosum by having the vesiculo-bullous borders. Histopathological differences were also evident since more superficial layers of the skin were involved in the ulceration than typically encountered in patients with non-malignant systemic disease. Despite the less penetrating nature of this variant, treatment of the pyoderma gangrenosum is unsatisfactory and in the absence of effective therapy for the underlying disease, healing occurred only in the patient with acute leukaemia who achieved complete remission in response to chemotherapy.

Full text

PDF
689

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Caughman W., Stern R., Haynes H. Neutrophilic dermatosis of myeloproliferative disorders. Atypical forms of pyoderma gangrenosum and Sweet's syndrome associated with myeloproliferative disorders. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1983 Nov;9(5):751–758. doi: 10.1016/s0190-9622(83)70191-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Crawford S. E., Sherman R., Favara B. Pyoderma gangrenosum with response to cyclophosphamide therapy. J Pediatr. 1967 Aug;71(2):255–258. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(67)80084-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Goldin D. Pyoderma gangrenosum with chronic myeloid leukaemia. Proc R Soc Med. 1974 Dec;67(12 Pt 1):1239–1240. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Holt P. J., Davies M. G., Saunders K. C., Nuki G. Pyoderma gangrenosum: clinical and laboratory findings in 15 patients with special reference to polyarthritis. Medicine (Baltimore) 1980 Mar;59(2):114–133. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Jacobs P., Dubovsky D. W., Wood L. In adult acute nonlymphoblastic leukaemia extended maintenance chemotherapy has no benefit. Am J Hematol. 1984 Apr;16(3):255–265. doi: 10.1002/ajh.2830160307. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Lewis S. J., Poh-Fitzpatrick M. B., Walther R. R. Atypical pyoderma gangrenosum with leukemia. JAMA. 1978 Mar 6;239(10):935–938. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Maldonado N., Torres V. M., Méndez-Cashion D., Pérez-Santiago E., Cáceres de Costas M. Pyoderma gangrenosum treated with 6-mercaptopurine and followed by acute leukemia. J Pediatr. 1968 Mar;72(3):409–414. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(68)80218-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Ortonne J. P., Thivolet J., Chouvet B., Coiffet J. Pyoderma gangrenosum, cystadéno-carcinome ovarien traités par melphalan et leucémie aiguë myéloblastique. A propos d'un cas. Ann Dermatol Venereol. 1979 Mar;106(3):251–256. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. PERRY H. O., BRUNSTING L. A. Pyoderma gangrenosum; a clinical study of nineteen cases. AMA Arch Derm. 1957 Mar;75(3):380–386. doi: 10.1001/archderm.1957.01550150066007. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Perry H. O., Winkelmann R. K. Bullous pyoderma gangrenosum and leukemia. Arch Dermatol. 1972 Dec;106(6):901–905. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. SLOAN W. P., Jr, BARGEN J. A., GAGE R. P. Life histories of patients with chronic ulcerative colitis: a review of 2,000 cases. Gastroenterology. 1950 Sep;16(1):25–38. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Stolman L. P., Rosenthal D., Yaworsky R., Horan F. Pyoderma Gangrenosum and rheumatoid arthritis. Arch Dermatol. 1975 Aug;111(8):1020–1023. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Tay C. H. Letter: Pyoderma gangrenosum and leukemia. Arch Dermatol. 1973 Oct;108(4):580–581. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Thomsen K., Rothenborg H. W. Clofazimine in the treatment of pyoderma gangrenosum. Arch Dermatol. 1979 Jul;115(7):851–852. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Postgraduate Medical Journal are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES