Acute liver failure because of chronic lymphocytic leukemia: Case report and review of the literature

Abstract

Infiltration of the liver by hematologic malignancies is an uncommon cause of liver failure. B-Cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a usually indolent disease that may infiltrate the liver, but based on a review of the literature, has never been reported to induce acute liver failure. Here, we describe the case of a 78-year-old woman with acute liver failure secondary to infiltration with CLL being unresponsive to chemotherapy and causing death. This case is notable because of its atypical presentation and ultimate poor prognosis. © 2011 Multimed Inc.