Erythroderma and non-Hodgkin T-cell lymphoma: what else, apart from Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary syndrome?

BACKGROUND

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), are a rare condition characterised by specific histology, nodal presentation, and a poor prognosis. In total, 10-18% of patients present with cutaneous involvement which is regarded as a poor prognostic marker. However, cutaneous PTCL-NOS lesions have been rarely reported in the literature.

OBJECTIVES

We sought to describe PTCL-NOS cases characterised by erythrodermic dissemination to the skin.

MATERIALS &

METHODS

Three cases of PTCL-NOS were investigated; all male, with a mean and median age of 55 and 51 years, respectively.

RESULTS

All patients underwent aggressive chemotherapeutic protocols with only transient improvement of the disease, and died within two years of follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Dermatologists should be reminded that erythroderma and lymph node enlargement do not represent an exclusive paradigm for erythrodermic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, and that these features can be due to a systemic lymphoma that should be considered in the differential diagnosis.