Pleural effusion as the initial manifestation of chronic myeloid leukemia: Report of a case with clinical and cytologic correlation

Abstract

Pleural effusion in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is very rare and poorly understood. We report here a 26-year-old male patient having CML and presenting with pleural effusion as the first clinical sign. The possible mechanism of pleural effusion in CML, the cytological interpretive problem and the clinical significance of finding immature leucocytes in pleural fluid are also briefly discussed.

Keywords

• Chronic myeloid leukemia; cytology; pleural effusion