Posttransplant cutaneous lymphoma.

Abstract

Posttransplant lymphoma is closely associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and appears to have a predilection for extranodal sites. We describe four cases of primary cutaneous posttransplant lymphoma. Our aim was to determine cell lineage and any possible association with EBV in each case of cutaneous lymphoma. Tumor tissue was examined by light microscopy, immunohistochemistry, nonisotopic in situ hybridization and polymerase chain reaction. The data were consistent with a diagnosis of EBV-associated cutaneous B-cell lymphoma in three cases and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma not associated with EBV in one case. No patient with B-cell lymphoma had extracutaneous involvement during a mean follow-up of 3.9 years. The patient with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma died of cerebral involvement 9 months after initial presentation. These data suggest a possible role for EBV infection in the origin of cutaneous B-cell lymphoma in immunosuppressed patients.