Cancer Res Treat.  2011 Dec;43(4):255-259.

Cyclosporine in Relapsed Subcutaneous Panniculitis-like T-Cell Lymphoma after Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

• Jung HR
• Yun SY
• Choi JH
• Bae SH
• Ryoo HM
• Kum YS

Abstract

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare T-cell lymphoma characterized by involvement of the subcutaneous tissue of neoplastic T lymphocytes. SPTCL with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) is associated with an aggressive clinical course and treatment of SPTCL with HPS is not well established. Cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisolone (CHOP) therapy is not successful in most patients suffering from SPTCL with HPS. The role of high dose chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) remains controversial. We report a case of relapsed SPTCL after CHOP chemotherapy and salvage chemotherapy followed by autologous HSCT, which had rapid improvement within weeks after cyclosporine and prednisolone. Immunosuppressive therapy may be an important and successful treatment option in SPTCL patients, even though they may have clinically aggressive disease.

Keyword

Panniculitis; Lymphoma; T-lymphocytes; Cyclosporine

MeSH Terms

Cyclophosphamide
Cyclosporine
Doxorubicin
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation
Hematopoietic Stem Cells
Humans
Lymphohistiocytosis, Hemophagocytic
Lymphoma
Lymphoma, T-Cell
Panniculitis
Prednisolone
Stress, Psychological
Subcutaneous Tissue
T-Lymphocytes
Vincristine
Cyclophosphamide
Cyclosporine
Doxorubicin
Lymphoma, T-Cell
Panniculitis
Prednisolone
Vincristine

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Radiologic finding. (A) Abdominal computed tomography shows an enhancing nodule in the subcutaneous layer of the low abdominal wall. (B) Positron emission tomography shows numerous fludeoxyglucose uptakes in the subcutaneous layer of the whole body.

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  Fig. 2 Tumor pathology. (A) Histopathology of subcutaneous nodule showing neoplastic lymphoid cells infiltrating mainly lobular areas of subcutaneous tissue (H&E staining, ×400). Immunohistochemical stains showing the rimming of individual fat spaces by tumor cells with staining for CD3 (B) and CD8 (C) (H&E staining, ×400). (D) Tumor cells do not express the CD56 phenotype (H&E staining, ×200).

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