title: CD30(+) cutaneous lymphoma in association with atopic eczema.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chronic atopic eczema is not regarded as a precursor of malignancy, and, to our knowledge, there has been only one previous case report of CD30(+) cutaneous lymphoma in association with atopic dermatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We report 4 cases of CD30(+) lymphoproliferative disease in young adult patients with active atopic eczema dating from early childhood. Three patients developed primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma, of whom 2 developed systemic disease and 1 died. The other patient developed lymphomatoid papulosis type A, which resolved after withdrawal of cyclosporine therapy. No other patient had received immunosuppressive therapy. Three had been treated with phototherapy, and 2 of these patients exhibited positive immunostaining for p53 within a proportion of the tumor cell population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although we have not been able to establish a causative link, we believe that the association of these 2 conditions has not occurred by chance. Biopsies of lesional skin from subjects with atopic eczema exhibit a proportion of CD30 cells, and clonal transformation of this subpopulation might account for the CD30(+) lymphomas in our patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatopathology, St John's Institute of Dermatology, St Thomas' Hospital, London, England.
authors.forename: Clair L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fletcher
authors.forename: Guy E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Orchard
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hubbard
authors.forename: Sean J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Whittaker
authors.forename: Richard L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Edelson
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Russell-Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D003879:Dermatologic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000276:immunology*; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003879:Dermatologic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen