Emergence of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia During Admission for COVID-19: Cause or Coincidence?

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common leukemia affecting the western adult population. While CLL is known to be a risk factor for morbidity and mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), COVID-19 has not been shown to be a risk factor for the development of CLL. We report a case of a 55-year-old man who presented with COVID-19 pneumonia and developed overt CLL during hospitalization. Four other cases were culled from the literature. We discuss mechanistic possibilities for the unmasking of CLL in susceptible individuals with COVID-19.