Pyoderma gangrenosum heralding acute myelogenous leukemia

Abstract EN

We describe a 27-year-old female who presented with pyoderma gangrenosum over her left shoulder and neck of 12 weeks duration and who was diagnosed later as a case of acute myelogenous leukemia in December 1998.

She was successfully induced with chemotherapy along with oral steroids for her skin lesion after which her skin lesion healed.

Several weeks later she presented with recurrence of her pyoderma gangrenosum over the same area, which coincided with relapse of her acute leukemia.

Another attempt at induction was started, however, she succumbed several weeks later due to her active disease.

The case illustrates the rare but strong association between pyoderma gangrenosum and acute myelogenous leukemia.

The delay in diagnosis was largely due to failure to recognize this association which may have probably affected the prognosis.

Pyoderma gangrenosum affects the severity of the relapse only.