Home Current Issue Previous Issues Published Ahead-of-Print Supplements Collections For Authors Journal Info
Skip Navigation LinksHome > December 1994 - Volume 35 - Issue 6 > Multifocal Inflammatory Leukoencephalopathy Associated with...
Neurosurgery:
December 1994 - Volume 35 - Issue 6 - p 1138-1143
Case Report

Multifocal Inflammatory Leukoencephalopathy Associated with Levamisole and 5-Fluorouracil: Case Report

Chen, Thomas C. M.D.; Hinton, David R. M.D.; Leichman, Lawrence M.D.; Atkinson, Roscoe D. M.D.; Apuzzo, Michael L. J. M.D.; Couldwell, William T. M.D., Ph.D

Collapse Box

Abstract

LEVAMISOLE AND 5-FLUOROURACIL have now become the standard chemotherapeutic regimen for patients with Stage III colon carcinoma. A case of multifocal inflammatory leukoencephalopathy secondary to levamisole alone or combination of levamisole and 5-fluorouracil is reported. Magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium demonstrated multifocal contrast-enhancing frontal, parietal, occipital, and periventricular white matter lesions. A stereotactic biopsy revealed reactive gliosis and macrophage infiltration, without evidence of metastatic tumor. Despite continuation of 5-fluorouracil, resolution of contrast-enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging without further neurological sequelae occurred when levamisole was stopped. The patient died with evidence of systemic metastasis 6 months later. Autopsy examination of the brain revealed multifocal demyelinating lesions, with no evidence of metastatic tumor. Immunoperoxidase studies of demyelinated lesions demonstrated infiltrating macrophages strongly positive for Class II antigens, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1α. Surrounding astrocytes were positive for granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor. Small numbers of perivascular T cells were present. This patient represents the first autopsy documented case of levamisole associated multifocal inflammatory leukoencephalopathy.

Copyright © by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons

You currently do not have access to this article.

You may need to:

Note: If your society membership provides for full-access to this article, you may need to login on your society’s web site first.

Article Tools

You currently do not have access to this article.

You may need to:

Note: If your society membership provides for full-access to this article, you may need to login on your society’s web site first.

Search for Similar Articles
You may search for similar articles that contain these same keywords or you may modify the keyword list to augment your search.