LEUKAEMIC HYPOPION IN ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA AFTER CESSATION OF THERAPY

In acute lymphoblastic leukaemia antiblastic therapy is usually discontinued after 3-5 years of complete remission. It is, therefore, of particular interest to increase our knowledge of the subsequent course of events in these cases. We present a girl of 7 years, affected with A.L.L. and treated with chemotherapy for 3 years. 4 months following the cessation of therapy she presented with photophobia, perikeratic injection of the left eye and copious exudate in the anterior chamber. Local therapy (cortisone - atropine) produced a brief remission. At the third recurrence of symptoms, cytological examination of the exudate revealed the presence of numerous lymphoblasts. Radiotherapy produced a complete, lasting remission, still persisting after an interval of 5 months. The eye can be considered a “Pharmacological Sanctuary”, analogous with the C.N.S. and testis, and could be a possible site of localisation also in patients after completion of therapy.