Mucormycosis in Leukemia

Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is a virulent, rapidly progressive, potentially fatal illness which demands early diagnosis and aggressive medical and possible surgical therapy. Although most commonly reported in persons with poorly controlled diabetes, it may occur in other immunosuppressed hosts. In persons with leukemia the disease has been uniformly fatal. A well-documented case of fatal rhinocerebral mucormycosis in a leukemic patient is presented to illustrate the diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas often faced. A review of the 233 cases thus far reported in the literature is used as a spring-board for a discussion of the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management of this disease.