PRIMARY CUTANEOUS B-CELL LYMPHOMA - DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT, AND PROGNOSIS

BACKGROUND: An elderly woman with B-cell lymphoma confined to the skin of the lower extremity was treated with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy. She relapsed with new skin lesions outside the original radiation port that responded to additional radiation therapy and remains in remission 12 months after her last treatment. OBJECTIVE: This article investigates the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. METHODS: The relevant literature was researched through computer data bases and bibliographies. RESULTS: Patients who present with localized lesions of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma have a favorable prognosis regardless of the type of therapy, although relapses may occur in the absence of systemic disease. CONCLUSIONS: We advocate the use of local therapies as initial treatment in patients with localized primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma.