Korean J Dermatol.  2016 Aug;54(7):557-561.

A Case of Primary Cutaneous CD30 Positive Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma in a Patient with Mycosis Fungoides

• Seol JE
• Lee W
• Park SH
• Jung SY
• Kim H

Abstract

A 29-year-old Korean man presented with erythematous nodules on his right arm and left leg. He had been diagnosed with mycosis fungoides 10 years prior and was treated with phototherapy continuously. A diagnostic skin biopsy was performed, and the histopathologic findings of the specimen revealed dense infiltration of atypical large lymphoid cells through the entire dermis. These cells showed positive CD3 and CD30 staining. Despite the atypical finding that T cells represented less than 75% of the infiltrated cells, primary cutaneous CD30 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma was ultimately diagnosed based on the overall consideration of the clinical features and favorable prognosis. Because primary cutaneous CD30 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma has a favorable prognosis, it should be differentiated from large cell transformation of mycosis fungoides, which has a poor prognosis and requires aggressive treatment. However, this differential diagnosis is challenging. Herein, we report a rare case of primary cutaneous CD30 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma with mycosis fungoides differentially diagnosed from large cell transformation.

Keyword

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma; Large cell transformation; Mycosis fungoides

MeSH Terms

Adult
Arm
Biopsy
Dermis
Diagnosis, Differential
Humans
Leg
Lymphocytes
Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic*
Mycosis Fungoides*
Phototherapy
Prognosis
Skin
T-Lymphocytes