Primary Cutaneous CD4-Positive Small/Medium Pleomorphic T-cell Lymphoma – A Case Report

Primary cutaneous CD4-positive small- to medium-sized pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma is a provisional entity in the 2005 WHO-EORTC classification for cutaneous lymphomas. It is a rare condition and, in most cases, it has a favorable clinical course and prognosis. Primary cutaneous CD4-positive small/medium pleomorphic T-cell lymphoma (PCSM-TCL) is defined as a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with predominantly small- to medium-sized CD4-positive pleomorphic T-cells without a history of patches and plaques typical of mycosis fungoides. PCSM-TCL usually presents as a solitary plaque or tumor on the head, neck, trunk or upper extremities and it is considered to have indolent clinical behavior. Histologically, it is characterized by a dense infiltration of small/medium-sized pleomorphic T-cells that involves the entire dermal thickness, often with nodular extension into the hypodermis. Using immunohistochemical staining, the majority of the reported cases proved to be CD3, CD4 positive and CD8, CD30 negative. However, due to the rarity and heterogeneity of the PCSM-TCL, precise clinicopathologic characteristics of PCSM-TCL have not been well characterized and the optimal treatment for this group of lymphomas is yet to be defined. Dermatologists and pathologists should be aware of this entity in order to avoid unnecessary aggressive treatments.

Here we present a 30-year-old man with a solitary lesion on the scalp with histopathological features corresponding to PCSM-TCL. After surgical excision, the patient has been disease-free so far, with no additional therapy used to the present day with regular checkups.