title: Perils and pitfalls regarding differential diagnosis and treatment of primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma.
abstract: Primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (PC-ALCL), belonging to the CD30+ T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders (PCLPDs), is a rare T-cell lymphoma, presenting on the skin and characterized by very good prognosis and response to treatment in the majority of cases. Nevertheless, PC-ALCL must be distinguished from secondary skin lesions in systemic ALCL, which confer a poor prognosis, and other CD30+ PCLPDs, reactive conditions, or borderline cases. Given their rarity and heterogeneity, these entities represent diagnostic and therapeutic challenges, thus requiring a multidisciplinary approach and expertise to ensure appropriate diagnosis and management. There are several perils and pitfalls that exist regarding the differential diagnosis, the possible progression, and the treatment of PC-ALCL. Careful staging, correlation of clinical findings with histopathology and immunopathology, and thorough follow-up are essential in order to achieve a correct diagnosis and proper treatment of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece. diamantidis79@yahoo.gr
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Diamantidis
authors.forename: Athena D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Myrou
mesh_terms: D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D017730:Ki-1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D054446:Lymphoma, Primary Cutaneous Anaplastic Large Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D017731:Lymphomatoid Papulosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D011379:Prognosis; D035583:Rare Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000032:analysis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D017730:Ki-1 Antigen; D000077548:Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases