Diffuse skin hyperpigmentation in CD30+ lymphoproliferation

CD30+ T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (LD) comprise two main groups of diseases: CD30+ LD of the skin and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). The main feature of these disorders is the expression of CD30. We present a patient with an unusual clinical presentation of CD30+ lymphoprol...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Zeljko Prka, Cedna Tomasovic-Loncaric, Vlatko Pejsa, Branimir Nevajda, Rajko Kusec
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre 2012-05-01
Series:Annals of Saudi Medicine
Online Access:https://www.annsaudimed.net/doi/full/10.5144/0256-4947.2012.318
Description
Summary:CD30+ T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (LD) comprise two main groups of diseases: CD30+ LD of the skin and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL). The main feature of these disorders is the expression of CD30. We present a patient with an unusual clinical presentation of CD30+ lymphoproliferative disease in a 54-year old Caucasian male who presented with generalized lymphadenopathy and pronounced skin hyperpigmentation. In the lymph nodes and skin, CD30+ lymphoproliferation (ALCL) was diagnosed. The Prussian blue staining identified that the pigment responsible for the skin color was hemosiderin. Chemotherapy was started but the patient's condition progressively worsened and he died a week after the first cycle. The complete color transformation of the entire skin due to hemosiderin accumulation is, to the best of our knowledge, the first reported observation in a CD30+ lymphoproliferation/ALCL patient. We speculate that hemosiderin-loaded macrophages resulted from the paraneoplastic process by some still unknown mechanism.
ISSN:0256-4947
0975-4466