Cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphomas: a report of 9 cases from Thailand.

BACKGROUND Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) is one type of lymphoma, which is characterized by the proliferation of pleomorphic large atypical lymphoid cells expressing CD30 antigen. ALCL involving skin can be either primary cutaneous disease or cutaneous involvement secondary from systemic disease. Data of clinical manifestation of cutaneous ALCL in Thai patients is limited. ALCL in Thai patients may differ from other groups of patients. OBJECTIVE To study the clinical manifestation of cutaneous ALCL in patients of Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Thailand. MATERIAL AND METHOD Medical records of nine patients with histopathologic diagnosis of ALCL from skin biopsy at Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital were reviewed. RESULTS Of nine patients, four patients were diagnosed as primary cutaneous ALCL, four patients as systemic ALCL with secondary skin involvement, and one patient as combined primary cutaneous ALCL and lymphomatoid papulosis. Three primary cutaneous ALCL patients had no recurrence of disease during 6-year follow-up. However all systemic ALCL patients died at one day to 1.5 years after diagnosis. CONCLUSION Clinical manifestation and clinical course of Thai patients with anaplastic large cell lymphoma corresponded with the data from other patient population.