Primary cutaneous plasmacytoma: a role for a triggering stimulus?
Primary cutaneous plasmacytoma is a rare type of cutaneous B-cell lymphoma, characterized by clonal proliferation of plasma cells, that primarily develops in the skin. Five cases have been described to date in which a local triggering stimulus may be involved in development of this skin tumour. We describe the case of a primary cutaneous plasmacytoma localized to the lower lip. This site had been affected for 15 years with recurrent herpes simplex virus-1 infection. Neoplastic plasma cells were found to be bcl-2-positive. We hypothesize that chronic stimulation of keratinocytes by herpes simplex virus-1, possibly through toll-like receptors, may have favoured the release of cytokines (e.g. interleukin-6) able to induce plasma cell proliferation, transformation and survival.
Zendri
E
E
Department of Surgery, Section of Dermatology, University of Parma, Parma, Italy.
Venturi
C
C
Ricci
R
R
Giordano
G
G
De Panfilis
G
G
D000368:Aged; D006561:Herpes Simplex / Q000150:complications*; D018259:Herpesvirus 1, Human; D006801:Humans; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D010954:Plasmacytoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology*; D012008:Recurrence