Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Presenting as Chronic Diarrhea; An Unusual Presentation of a Common Lymphoproliferative Disorder

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common lymphoproliferative disorder in the United States. It has a variable presentation with most patients having asymptomatic lymphocytosis. Many other patients present with lymphadenopathy or enlargement of other organs of the reticuloendothelial sys...

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Main Authors: Smitha Narayana Gowda, Hafez Mohammad Abdullah, Rakshya Sharma, Mohamed A. Abdallah
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2021-01-01
Series:Case Reports in Gastrointestinal Medicine
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8884820
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author Smitha Narayana Gowda
Hafez Mohammad Abdullah
Rakshya Sharma
Mohamed A. Abdallah
author_facet Smitha Narayana Gowda
Hafez Mohammad Abdullah
Rakshya Sharma
Mohamed A. Abdallah
author_sort Smitha Narayana Gowda
collection DOAJ
description Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common lymphoproliferative disorder in the United States. It has a variable presentation with most patients having asymptomatic lymphocytosis. Many other patients present with lymphadenopathy or enlargement of other organs of the reticuloendothelial system. However, CLL can present with extramedullary involvement. Most commonly, this is in the form of skin or central nervous system involvement, though rarely it can present with gastrointestinal involvement. Here, we present the case of a 70-year-old Caucasian male who presented with chronic diarrhea for over 4 months. After failing conservative treatment, a colonoscopy was performed which showed diffuse mucosal nodularities with a biopsy revealing CLL. The patient was treated successfully with chemotherapy and his diarrhea improved. This is a differential to keep in mind in patients with chronic diarrhea, once the more common causes have been ruled out.
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publishDate 2021-01-01
publisher Wiley
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series Case Reports in Gastrointestinal Medicine
spelling doaj-art-da4378842e0446c2b1da3c888e4fd0302025-08-20T02:21:11ZengWileyCase Reports in Gastrointestinal Medicine2090-65282090-65362021-01-01202110.1155/2021/88848208884820Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Presenting as Chronic Diarrhea; An Unusual Presentation of a Common Lymphoproliferative DisorderSmitha Narayana Gowda0Hafez Mohammad Abdullah1Rakshya Sharma2Mohamed A. Abdallah3Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, SD, USADepartment of Internal Medicine, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, SD, USADepartment of Internal Medicine, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, SD, USADepartment of Pulmonary Medicine, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, Sioux Falls, SD, USAChronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common lymphoproliferative disorder in the United States. It has a variable presentation with most patients having asymptomatic lymphocytosis. Many other patients present with lymphadenopathy or enlargement of other organs of the reticuloendothelial system. However, CLL can present with extramedullary involvement. Most commonly, this is in the form of skin or central nervous system involvement, though rarely it can present with gastrointestinal involvement. Here, we present the case of a 70-year-old Caucasian male who presented with chronic diarrhea for over 4 months. After failing conservative treatment, a colonoscopy was performed which showed diffuse mucosal nodularities with a biopsy revealing CLL. The patient was treated successfully with chemotherapy and his diarrhea improved. This is a differential to keep in mind in patients with chronic diarrhea, once the more common causes have been ruled out.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8884820
spellingShingle Smitha Narayana Gowda
Hafez Mohammad Abdullah
Rakshya Sharma
Mohamed A. Abdallah
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Presenting as Chronic Diarrhea; An Unusual Presentation of a Common Lymphoproliferative Disorder
Case Reports in Gastrointestinal Medicine
title Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Presenting as Chronic Diarrhea; An Unusual Presentation of a Common Lymphoproliferative Disorder
title_full Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Presenting as Chronic Diarrhea; An Unusual Presentation of a Common Lymphoproliferative Disorder
title_fullStr Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Presenting as Chronic Diarrhea; An Unusual Presentation of a Common Lymphoproliferative Disorder
title_full_unstemmed Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Presenting as Chronic Diarrhea; An Unusual Presentation of a Common Lymphoproliferative Disorder
title_short Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia/Small Lymphocytic Lymphoma Presenting as Chronic Diarrhea; An Unusual Presentation of a Common Lymphoproliferative Disorder
title_sort chronic lymphocytic leukemia small lymphocytic lymphoma presenting as chronic diarrhea an unusual presentation of a common lymphoproliferative disorder
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2021/8884820
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