Primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma:a clinical,histopathological and phenotypic study of 15 cases

Objective:To analyse the clinical histopathological and immunophenotypic characteristics of primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma(PCMZL)in Chinese patients.Methods:Fifteen PCMZL patients were collected to evaluate the clinical histological features.The expression of CD20,CD79a,CD21,CD5,CD10,BCL2 and BCL10 were examined by immunohistological methods.Results:Within these 15 patients,6 were male and 9 were female(mean age 61.2 years,me- dian age 58 years).Eleven patients presented with lesions on the head and face,3 patients on the back,and one patient in disseminated pattern.All cases presented with erythematous nodular lesions.Histologically,diffuse infiltration of lymphoid cells was seen in the dermis.In 10 of 15 cases,the infiltrated lymphoid cells formed reactive follicles or nodules.Neoplastic cells were CD20(+),CD79(+),BCL2(+),BCL10(+),CD5(-) and CD10(-).In 5 cases,the expression of CD43 was observed. CD21 staining could display the follicular patern.Conclusions:PCMZL usually involves the head and face,and more often affect the aged women.The combination of morphological features and immunostaining for BCL2 and BCL10 was useful for the diagnosis and differentiation.