A Case of Cutaneous B Cell Lymphoma Occuring in the Course of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

In December 1984, a 60-year-old woman who had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for 10 years noticed tumors and erythema on her bilateral legs. She had twice spontaneous regression of the skin lesions. The histopathological findings of the tumor revealed a diffuse infiltration of tumor cells mainly composed of large non-cleaved cells in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. The presense of intracytoplasmic monoclonal immunoglobulin (IgM-kappa type) in the tumor cells was demonstrated by immunofluorescent examination. We diagnosed this case as diffuse large cell type B-cell lymphoma. She was treated with VEMP and CHOP therapy. However, the therapy could not provide her with complete remission. She died of pneumonia and cachexia in June 1987.