Panniculitis-Like Presentation of Extracavitary Primary Effusion Lymphoma

An Update on EBV-related Cutaneous Lymphoproliferative Disorders: a Systematic Review

Epstein Barr virus (EBV) positive B lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) with cutaneous involvement include a series of rare entities that go from indolent processes to aggressive lymphomas. B-cell EBV+ LPD mainly affect immunocompromised patients while T-cell EBV+ LPD are more prevalent in specific geographic regions such as Asia, Central America, and South America. Since the latest WHO-EORTC classification of cutaneous lymphomas in 2018, significant changes have been included in the new classifications of hematological malignancies. This systematic review summarizes the main clinical, histological, immunophenotypic and molecular characteristics of B- and T-cell EBV+ LPD that may compromise the skin at diagnosis. B-cell EBV+ LPD include primary cutaneous lymphomas such as EBV-Mucocutaneous Ulcer, as well as systemic lymphomas affecting the skin at diagnosis that may present such as lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LG), EBV diffuse large B cell lymphoma, NOS, plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL), Extracavitary primary effusion lymphoma (EC-PEL) EBV+, EBV-positive polymorphic B cell LPD, and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD). Regarding T-cell EBV+ LPD, most of these entities are categorized within T/NK-cell lymphoproliferative processes and lymphomas of childhood, including extranodal T/NK lymphoma, and even more exceptional forms such as EBV-positive T-cell centrofollicular lymphoma and intravascular T/NK-cell lymphoma. Diagnosis is based on integrating the clinical, histological, immunohistochemical, and genetic criteria discussed throughout this article. Differential diagnosis is a challenge for dermatologists and pathologists, so having scientific evidence available in this field is of paramount importance because overtreatment must be carefully avoided.

[Translated article] An Update on EBV-related Cutaneous Lymphoproliferative Disorders: a Systematic Review

Epstein Barr virus (EBV) positive lymphoproliferative disorders (LPD) with cutaneous involvement include a series of rare entities that go from indolent processes to aggressive lymphomas. B-cell EBV+ LPD mainly affect immunocompromised patients while T-cell EBV+ LPD are more prevalent in specific geographic regions such as Asia, Central America, and South America. Since the latest WHO-EORTC classification of cutaneous lymphomas in 2018, significant changes have been included in the new classifications of hematological malignancies. This systematic review summarizes the main clinical, histological, immunophenotypic and molecular characteristics of B- and T-cell EBV+ LPD that may compromise the skin at diagnosis. B-cell EBV+ LPD include primary cutaneous lymphomas such as EBV-Mucocutaneous Ulcer, as well as systemic lymphomas affecting the skin at diagnosis that may present such as lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LG), EBV diffuse large B cell lymphoma, NOS, plasmablastic lymphoma (PBL), extracavitary primary effusion lymphoma (EC-PEL) EBV+, EBV-positive polymorphic B cell LPD, and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD). Regarding T-cell EBV+ LPD, most of these entities are categorized within T/NK-cell lymphoproliferative processes and lymphomas of childhood, including extranodal T/NK lymphoma, and even more exceptional forms such as EBV-positive T-cell centrofollicular lymphoma and intravascular T/NK-cell lymphoma. Diagnosis is based on integrating the clinical, histological, immunohistochemical, and genetic criteria discussed throughout this article. Differential diagnosis is a challenge for dermatologists and pathologists, so having scientific evidence available in this field is of paramount importance because overtreatment must be carefully avoided.

Rare Cutaneous Primary Presentation of Extracavitary Primary Effusion Lymphoma

ABSTRACT

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare and aggressive B-cell lymphoma typically associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV-8) and Epstein-Barr virus infections. It classically presents as a malignant effusion in body cavities, but rarely presents with an extracavitary variant characterized by solid tumors in lymph nodes or extranodal sites such as the gastrointestinal tract, skin, lungs, and nervous system. This case report describes an unusual presentation of primary cutaneous extracavitary PEL in an HIV-positive patient that has only been reported in 8 cases previously. The patient presented with a skin nodule in the right supraclavicular area. Histopathologic examination showed a malignant infiltrate in the dermis composed of sheets of plasmablasts. The immunophenotype of the cells shows the characteristic coinfection with HHV-8 and Epstein-Barr virus. The case presented herein contributes to expand the reported literature on primary cutaneous extracavitary PEL and performs a comprehensive review of this entity, which most dermatopathologists are unfamiliar with.

Extracavitary Primary Effusion Lymphoma Affecting the Oral Cavity: A Rare Case Report

Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is an aggressive neoplasm often diagnosed in immunosuppressed patients demonstrating peritoneal, pleural, or pericardial effusions. This high-grade lymphoma is strongly associated with human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) infection and most of the lesions also show the presence of Epstein-Barr virus in tumor cells, which lacks CD20 expression and reveals a plasmablastic morphology and phenotype. The extracavitary or solid variant of PEL is even rarer and usually affects the lymph nodes and is currently considered a clinical manifestation of the classic PEL. In the oral cavity, extracavitary PEL is extremely rare and only a few patients have been previously reported, with no detailed clinicopathological description. The recognition of oral extracavitary PEL is even more important given the occurrence of plasmablastic lymphoma in the oral mucosa, which shares many clinical, microscopic, and phenotypic features with PEL, therefore, demanding from pathologists the search for HHV8, especially in immunosuppressed patients, and an appropriate clinical evaluation. In this report, we aim to describe a very rare extracavitary PEL affecting the palate of a 36-year-old patient and to review the literature regarding the extracavitary presentation of this aggressive lymphoma. This report demonstrates the importance of searching for HHV8 infection in oral lymphomas with plasmablastic features.

Cavity-based lymphomas: challenges and novel concepts. A report of the 2022 EA4HP/SH lymphoma workshop

The 2022 European Association for Haematopathology/Society for Hematopathology lymphoma workshop session on cavity-based lymphomas included sixty-eight cases in seven sections. The disease entities discussed include primary effusion lymphomas (PEL), extracavitary primary effusion lymphomas and confounding entities (ECPEL), HHV8-negative B-lineage lymphomas-effusion based (EBV-negative, EBV-positive, and plasmablastic types), diffuse large B-cell lymphoma associated with chronic inflammation, fibrin-associated diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (FA-DLBCL), breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL), and other lymphomas presenting as an effusion. All entities above are discussed; however, three are delved into greater detail given the challenges with classification: ECPEL, HHV8-negative effusion-based lymphomas, and FA-DLBCL. Cases exemplifying the diagnostic difficulty in differentiating ECPEL from HHV8-positive diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and germinotropic lymphoproliferative disorder were discussed. The more recently recognized effusion-based HHV8-negative large B-cell lymphoma is explored, with several cases submitted raising the question if this subset should be carved out as a specific entity, and if so, what should be the refining diagnostic criteria. Case submissions to the FA-DLBCL section yielded one of the largest case series to date, including classic cases, cases furthering the discussion on disease sites and prognosis, as well as novel concepts to be considered in this entity. The 2022 EA4HP/SH workshop cases allowed for further confirmation of the characteristics of some of the more historically accepted cavity-based lymphomas, as well as further inquiry and debate on relatively new or evolving entities.

Extracavitary primary effusion lymphoma recurring with syphilis in an HIV-infected patient

A 59-year-old Caucasian man infected with HIV, in remission from human herpes virus-8-positive extracavitary primary effusion lymphoma (EC-PEL), presented to a sexual health clinic with fever and rectal pain 10 weeks after a single episode of receptive anal sexual intercourse with another man. He was initially treated for a presumptive diagnosis of lymphogranuloma venereum proctitis, then for syphilis on positive serology. Rectosigmoidoscopy revealed a single ulcerated rectal mass; endoscopic biopsies confirmed the recurrence of EC-PEL. The patient received chemotherapy and went into remission. This is the first reported case of EC-PEL occurring synchronously with early syphilis, and specifically at the site of inoculation, which can be a major diagnostic challenge since both conditions may present with lymphadenopathy, mucosal involvement and constitutional symptoms. We reviewed the literature for similar cases and hypothesised that syphilis may have triggered the recurrence of this rare lymphoma.