Cutaneous dissemination of nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma in a young girl

• Published in: Clinical and experimental dermatology Vol. 33; no. 5; pp. 615 - 618
• Main Authors: Sandner, A., Helmbold, P., Winkler, M., Gattenlöhner, S., Müller-Hermelink, H.-K., Holzhausen, H.-J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.09.2008; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adolescent; Biological and medical sciences; Dermatology; Diagnosis, Differential; Epstein-Barr virus; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - immunology; Epstein-Barr Virus Infections - pathology; Fatal Outcome; Female; General aspects; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Leukemias. Malignant lymphomas. Malignant reticulosis. Myelofibrosis; Lymphoma, T-Cell - immunology; Lymphoma, T-Cell - pathology; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous - immunology; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous - pathology; Medical sciences; Nose Neoplasms - immunology; Nose Neoplasms - pathology; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; Human; Nose disease; Dermatology; Lymphoproliferative syndrome; Dissemination; ENT disease; Nasal NK/T cell lymphoma; Malignant hemopathy; Skin; Non Hodgkin lymphoma; Child; Cancer
• ISSN: 0307-6938; 1365-2230
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2230.2008.02777.x

Summary In Europe and the USA, the incidence of primary nasal natural killer (NK)/T‐cell lymphoma is rare. The skin is one of the predilection sites for dissemination. Cutaneous dissemination is a poor prognostic sign and is consistently fatal. We describe the case of a 17‐year‐old white German girl with a primary nasal NK/T‐cell lymphoma and cutaneous dissemination. She presented with multiple maculopapular patches involving the trunk and thighs, and a 4‐week history of headache, fever and fatigue. Biopsies of the skin and the nasal mucosa were taken. Pathological examination of both specimens revealed a NK/T‐cell lymphoma. Epstein–Barr virus RNA was detected in the lymphoma cells by in situ hybridization. Unfortunately, the patient died of disease within 1 week.