title: Childhood hypopigmented mycosis fungoides: a commonly delayed diagnosis.
abstract: Primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCLs) are exceedingly rare in children and adolescents, with mycosis fungoides (MF) being the most frequent PCL diagnosed in childhood. There are numerous unusual clinical variants of MF, including the hypopigmented type form (HMF). HMF is exceptional overall, but comparatively common among children. We present an 8-year-old boy with a 3-year history of progressive, generalised, scaly, hypopigmented round patches and few erythematous papules. He was first diagnosed with pityriasis alba (PA), and moisturisers were prescribed with no improvement. Skin biopsy showed typical features of MF, and the patient was successfully treated with narrowband ultraviolet B. HMF may simulate atopic dermatitis, PA, pityriasis lichenoides, tinea versicolour, vitiligo, postinflammatory hypopigmentation or leprosy. Therefore, persistent and unusual hypopigmented lesions should be biopsied to rule out this rare variant of MF.
authors.affiliation: Coimbra University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gameiro
authors.affiliation: Coimbra University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gouveia
authors.affiliation: Coimbra University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Óscar
authors.initials: Ó
authors.lastname: Tellechea
authors.affiliation: Coimbra University Hospital, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moreno
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D017496:Hypopigmentation / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008297:Male; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D017514:Pityriasis Lichenoides / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology