Case Report
Copyright ©2008 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jun 14, 2008; 14(22): 3594-3597
Published online Jun 14, 2008. doi: 10.3748/wjg.14.3594
Massive ascites as a presenting manifestation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia
Neelam Siddiqui, Saeed Al-Amoudi, Aamer Aleem, Maha Arafah, Layla Al-Gwaiz
Neelam Siddiqui, Aamer Aleem, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saeed Al-Amoudi, Maha Arafah, Layla Al-Gwaiz, Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Author contributions: Siddiqui N, Al-Amoudi S, Aleem A wrote the manuscript; Arafah M and Al-Gwaiz L prepared the figures and critically revised the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Dr. Aamer Aleem, MBBS, MRCP, MRCPath, Assistant Professor & Consultant Hematologist, King Khalid University Hospital & College of Medicine, PO Box 7805, Riyadh 11472, Saudi Arabia. aameraleem@hotmail.com
Telephone: +966-1-4671771
Fax: +966-1-4679277
Received: January 25, 2008
Revised: April 30, 2008
Accepted: May 7, 2008
Published online: June 14, 2008
Abstract

Ascites is not an uncommon manifestation of certain solid tumors like gastrointestinal malignancies, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. However, it is unusual to encounter ascites in patients with hematological malignancies especially chronic leukemia. The patient described here presented with massive ascites and blood lymphocytosis. Further studies confirmed the diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia with ascites. The ascitic fluid was exudative, consisting of mature-looking B-lymphocytes, which were morphologically and immunophenotypically similar to peripheral blood and bone marrow cells. The patient was treated with chemotherapy and achieved a good response and diminution of ascitic fluid accumulation.

Keywords: Ascites; Chronic lymphocytic leukemia