Central nervous system involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a case report and review of literature

Abstract

Abstract Background Central nervous system involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia rarely occurs, and there is no standard therapy for central nervous system involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This article aims to analyze the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous system involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Case presentation It reports two cases of central nervous system involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia describing the clinical course, therapy, and prognosis. Case 1 is a 67-year-old Asian male patient, he experienced complications with central nervous system involvement after developing resistance to ibrutinib, bendamustine, and rituximab (BR) chemotherapies. The central nervous system lesion was controlled with high-dose methotrexate combined with pomalidomide, but Richter transformation occurred several months later. Case 2 is a 62-year-old Asian female patient, she had central nervous system involvement at initial diagnosis, and bone marrow and central nervous system lesions were controlled by ibrutinib therapy. Conclusion Central nervous system involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia is rare and can be diagnosed on the basis of clinical features, cerebrospinal fluid testing, and radiographic evaluation. Ibrutinib, pomalidomide, and other drugs that can cross the blood–brain barrier may be effective for treating central nervous system involvement in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.