Cutaneous Follicle Center Lymphoma : Treatment

Comments:
Treatment: Solitary, well-demarcated skin lesions are removed surgically. Multiple localized skin lesions are treated with radiation therapy, especially if they are on the face where complete surgical removal is challenging due to cosmetic reasons.

The complete response rate is >95%. Cutaneous relapses (30% of cases) also respond well to radiation. In patients with small, widely scattered lesions, either low-dose radiation or wait-and-see approach is appropriate.

Patients with generalized or large, thick skin lesions have been treated with systemic intralesional injections of anti-CD20 antibody Rituximab. Systemic multiagent chemotherapy (CHOP regimen) with rituximab has been used in following situations: extensive cutaneous lesions; disease presenting on legs; extracutaneous disease; and lack of response to other treatment modalities.

This skin biopsy from a patient with cutaneous follicle center lymphoma shows diffuse and ill-defined nodular pattern of growth.