Primary cutaneous spindle cell B cell lymphoma: A report of three cases and review of the literature.
Review
Overview
abstract
Primary cutaneous spindle cell lymphoma is a rare variant of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma (PCBCL). Herein, we present 3 cases of primary cutaneous spindle cell B cell lymphoma, 2 males and one female (age range 66-76years). The patients presented with solitary skin lesions, distributed in the head and neck area and chest. The dominant cell size was in the intermediate to large cell size range. While the main cell type was a spindled one, other cells with a nuclear morphology quite typical for a centroblast were noted and as well careful inspection in the three cases revealed a focal residuum of germinal center-like structures. The spindled cells exhibited a B cell follicle center cell phenotype as revealed by expression of CD20, CD79a, BCL6, and CD10. BCL2 was negative in two cases and positive in one case. The proliferation index exceeded 80%. In one case the neoplastic cells were CD30 positive. Subsequent to a diagnosis in each case of follicle center cell lymphoma, the patients underwent complete excision with no known recurrence. In our review of the literature, a total of 42 other cases were reported showing a similar male predominance with the commonest sites of involvement being the head and neck area and upper back. Other than one patient who died of progressive disease due to treatment refusal and one patient who developed metastatic disease to the liver all patients are alive and well without recurrent or metastatic disease. In summation, our experience along with the reported cases suggest the categorization of primary cutaneous spindle cell B cell lymphoma as a variant of primary cutaneous indolent follicle center lymphoma. It is a neoplasm of middle aged to older adults with a predominance in males which can be treated locally in most cases whereby recurrent and metastatic disease following complete removal is uncommon.
