Lymphomatoid papulosis in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma: case report and literature review

Background: Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a B cell lymphoproliferative disorder that characteristically presents in older individuals. Small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) occurs when CLL cells infiltrate lymph nodes and other tissues but spare peripheral blood and bone marrow. Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) is an indolent cutaneous CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by papules and nodules that develop and spontaneously regress over weeks to months. Methods: An 84-year-old man with CLL who developed LyP is described. The features of other patients who concurrently had both of these conditions are reviewed. Results: A man was diagnosed with CLL at age 50 years. At 84 years of age, he presented with red papules on his buttocks, which demonstrated a CD30+ lymphoproliferative disorder on biopsy. Correlation of the lesion history, morphology, and histopathology established the diagnosis of LyP. LyP and CLL/SLL, including in this patient, has only been reported in 11 individuals, to our knowledge. Conclusion: The concurrent expression of LyP and CLL/SLL is rare. Since the conditions derive from different lymphocyte subsets, the concurrent expression may be merely coincidental. However, the development of both conditions in the same individual may provide additional insight into the pathogenesis of these disorders