Large CD30-positive cells in benign, atypical lymphoid infiltrates of the skin.
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous infectious and inflammatory diseases may contain a significant number of CD30-positive cells, thus mimicking lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) or anaplastic large cell lymphoma.


METHODS
We reviewed our cases of non-neoplastic skin conditions with large, CD30-positive cells and searched the literature for similar cases.


RESULTS
A total of 28 cases were included in the study: Milker's nodule (n = 8), Herpes simplex virus infection (n = 7), lymphomatoid drug reaction (n = 3), molluscum contagiosum (n = 3), nodular scabies (n = 2), leishmaniasis (n = 1), syphilis (n = 1), pernio (n = 1), ruptured infundibular cyst (n = 1) and pseudolymphoma in a scar (n = 1). CD30-positive cells were often arranged in clusters and revealed both Golgi and membrane positivity, similar to what was observed in LyP and CD30+ anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Analysis of our data and of those published in the literature shows that viruses and drugs are the most common cause for occurrence of large CD30-positive cells in cutaneous pseudolymphomatous infiltrates. Arrangement of these large, CD30-positive cells in small clusters is not unique to cutaneous CD30-positive lymphomas, and in many cases a precise diagnosis can be made only upon accurate clinicopathological correlation or using ancillary methods such as polymerase chain reaction analysis for viral DNA.
Werner
Betina
B
Hospital de Clínicas, Department of pathology, Universidade Federal do Parana, Curitiba, Brazil.
Massone
Cesare
C
Kerl
Helmut
H
Cerroni
Lorenzo
L
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D017728:Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / Q000473:pathology; D017731:Lymphomatoid Papulosis / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D017730:Ki-1 Antigen