Coexistence of large cell transformed mycosis fungoides and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in one patient

Abstract

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common and aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The overall risk of developing DLBCL is increased in patients with other lymphomas, such as mycosis fungoides (MF). In this report, we present an 81-year-old female with early-stage MF who simultaneously progressed to tumor stage, large-cell transformed (LCT) MF and developed a primary DLBCL in a lymph node (LN). She presented with a tumor on her leg and new lymphadenopathy in her right axilla. Skin biopsy of the tumor revealed infiltration of large atypical CD3⁺, CD4⁺, and CD30⁺ cells, and a smaller portion of CD8⁺ cells in the dermis, consistent with LCT MF. Biopsy of the axillary LN revealed diffuse sheets of CD20⁺, BCL-2⁺, c-MYC⁺, and CD10⁻ cells, highly suggestive of double expressor DLBCL. High-throughput sequencing revealed monoclonal T cells in the skin tumor and a monoclonal B-cell population in the LN. The above findings led to simultaneous diagnoses of LCT MF and nodal double expressor DLBCL. Our case demonstrates the importance of performing a full pathological workup in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patients presenting with lymphadenopathy.