Tzu Chi Medical Journal
Volume 19, Issue 3 , Pages 173-178, September 2007

Blastic Natural Killer-Cell Lymphoma Presenting in the Skin

  • Jeng-Wei Tjiu

      Affiliations

    • Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author. Department of Dermatology, National Taiwan University Hospital, 7 Chung Shan South Road, Taipei, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Cheng-Hsiang Hsiao

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

Received 1 May 2007; received in revised form 14 May 2007; accepted 19 May 2007.

Article Outline

Abstract 

Blastic natural killer (NK)-cell lymphoma is a clinically aggressive hemato-logic neoplasm with a high incidence of cutaneous involvement. We report a 19-year-old man who presented with asymptomatic, erythematous, infiltrated bean plaques and nodules of various sizes, scattered over the face, trunk and extremities. A skin biopsy specimen revealed diffuse dermal infiltration of medium-sized pleomorphic cells with a blastic appearance. Immunohistochemical studies showed that the tumor cells were positive for CD56, CD43, CD123, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl trans-ferase (TdT). The neoplastic cells were negative for B-cell, T-cell, and myeloid cell markers. In situ hybridization for Epstein-Barr virus encoded RNA (EBER) gave a negative result. Flow cytometric analysis of bone marrow aspirate demonstrated a CD56 positive population of blastic cells. A diagnosis of blastic NK-cell lymphoma was made and the skin lesions regressed after treatment with L-asparaginase-based chemotherapy (L-asparaginase, cyclophosphamide, etoposide). The skin lesions regressed after two sessions of chemotherapy.

Keywords:  Blastic natural killer-cell lymphoma , CD56 , Leukemia , Prognosis , Treatment

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PII: S1016-3190(10)60012-2

doi:10.1016/S1016-3190(10)60012-2

Tzu Chi Medical Journal
Volume 19, Issue 3 , Pages 173-178, September 2007

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