title: Posttransplant CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma with skin and lymph node involvement.
abstract: Posttransplant (i.e. status with the transplant present) lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) are common conditions in transplant recipients. Most examples are of B cell origin, and CD30+ T cell PTLD are very rare. We report a CD30+ anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) in the skin of the right lower leg and in draining lymph nodes of the right inguinal region in an immunosuppressed 59-year-old male who had received a renal graft 9 years previously. Unlike the vast majority of PTLD, an incomplete T cell immunophenotype was observed, and there was evidence of T cell lineage at the genetic level reflected by a rearranged T cell receptor gamma gene. The neoplastic cells were non-reactive to the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) 1 protein. In addition, Epstein-Barr virus and human herpesvirus 8 sequences were absent. Arguments against a primary cutaneous ALCL, which is also ALK-1 negative, include systemic presentation at the time of initial diagnosis and immunoreactivity of the neoplastic cells to epithelial membrane antigen. Typically, our rare example of a posttransplantation systemic ALCL showed an aggressive behaviour and a poor response to both chemotherapy and local irradiation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Kantonsspital Aarau, Aarau, Switzerland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yurtsever
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kempf
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Laeng
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D017728:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D017731:Lymphomatoid Papulosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy