Cutaneous Gnathostomiasis: A Case Report from Thailand

Gnathostomiasis is transmitted to humans via ingestion of third-stage larva of genus Gnathostoma. Thailand is considered an endemic area for the disease. We reported a 65-year-old Thai male patient with clinical presentation of a small number of nodular migratory swellings on the face and neck. The histopathology of skin biopsy revealed parasitic material surrounded by eosinophil infiltration and fibrosis in deep dermis. Therefore, we were able to confirm diagnosis of cutaneous gnathostomiasis. After treatment with ivermectin followed by albendazole, the lesions still persisted; thus, surgical excision of lesions may be the necessary curative treatment

Cutaneous Involvement of Extranodal NK/T Cell Lymphoma, Nasal Type, a Clinical and Histopathological Mimicker of Various Skin Diseases

Background: Extranodal NK/T cell lymphoma, nasal type (ENK/T) with cutaneous involvement has various histopathological findings and diverse clinical manifestations. Methods: A retrospective study of cutaneous involvement of ENK/T lymphoma between 2006 and 2018 was conducted. Results: Twenty-two cases were eligible for this study. Twelve cases could be proven as secondary cutaneous involvement by ENK/T lymphoma, while the remaining could not be confirmed as primary cutaneous ENK/T lymphoma. The histopathological patterns included dermal and subcutaneous nodular infiltration pattern in 11/22 cases (50%), lobular panniculitis pattern in 6/22 cases (27.3%), interface dermatitis pattern in 4/22 cases (18.2%), and granulomatous dermatitis pattern in 1/22 case (4.5%). The median follow-up was 18.3 months. Overall, the one-year and five-year survival rates were 31.3% and 13.3%, respectively. Conclusions: A variety of histopathological patterns of cutaneous involvement by ENK/T lymphoma should be differentiated from other cutaneous lymphomas, dermatitis, and infection. When atypical medium or large-sized lymphoid cells are encountered within skin lesions, pathologists should realize these lesions can be ENK/T lymphoma, especially in cases with coexisting tumor necrosis or angioinvasion. A complete evaluation of the upper aerodigestive tract is mandatory to identify the occult primary site of ENK/T lymphoma before establishing primary cutaneous ENK/T lymphoma

A Rare Case of Blastic Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cell Neoplasm in a Child Mimicking Lymphoma/Leukemia Cutis

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare tumor that affects elderly individuals and presents a poor prognosis. Skin is the most common site of involvement, accounting for 89% of the cases. Extracutaneous organs, especially bone marrow, lymph nodes, and peripheral blood, can be involved at the time of diagnosis. We report a case of BPDCN in a child, presenting with a cutaneous lesion mimicking lymphoma or leukemia cutis. The histologic findings revealed a dense diffuse infiltration by monomorphic agranular medium-sized blast cells with sparing of the grenz zone, whose first immunophenotypic profile raised the possibility of diagnosing B lymphoblastic lymphoma or leukemia. However, the absence of CD10 expression and strongly positive expression for CD4, CD56, CD45RA, and the plasmacytoid dendritic cell-associated antigens, including CD123, supported the definite diagnosis of BPDCN. The patient responded well to a systemic combination chemotherapy regimen, modified from the Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP) protocol for anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), that differed from the established recommendation using ALL protocol. Owing to the patient’s excellent treatment outcome, this regimen could represent an effective alternative regimen for BPDCN in children