Dementia and Central Nervous System Involvement in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

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Abstract
Two patients with early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia had involvement of the CNS causing dementia as the predominant clinical symptom. None of the patients had focal neurological abnormalities. One patient was successfully treated, first with irradiation therapy to the CNS and later with intrathecal administration of methotrexate. The other patient died with massive leukemic infiltration of the CNS before effective treatment had been given. Although significant involvement of the CNS is rare in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and usually does not occur until late in the disease, these cases show that clinically important infiltration may happen very early. The clinical picture of dementia has not been described in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.