Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia presenting with facial nerve paresis: a unique presentation

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2007 Nov;29(11):770-3. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0b013e318159a4fb.

Abstract

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a distinct myeloproliferative malignancy of early childhood with a varied clinical presentation that may include failure to thrive, malaise, fever, bleeding, pallor, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly. Skin, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal involvement have also been reported. There are no reports of central nervous system (CNS) involvement at diagnosis of this disease. This is a report of a 21-month old boy who had a right facial paresis at presentation. A brain mass was demonstrated on magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid analysis confirmed CNS leukemic infiltration. We report the presence of CNS infiltration as a part of the natural course of JMML and provide a review of the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brain / pathology
  • Facial Paralysis / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Facial Paralysis / diagnosis*
  • Facial Paralysis / etiology
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Juvenile / cerebrospinal fluid
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Juvenile / complications
  • Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Juvenile / diagnosis*
  • Leukemic Infiltration / pathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male