[Blastic NK-cell lymphoma]

Blastic NK (<>) cell lymphoma is a rare type of lymphoma, recognized as an independent entity in the new World Health Organization-European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (WHO-EORTC) classification for cutaneous lymphomas. Its clinical, morphological and immunophenotypical characteristics are relatively well defined. It frequently starts with extranodal involvement (primarily cutaneous), often presents with splenomegaly and pancytopenia, and initially responds well to chemotherapy, although the medium-term prognosis is usually poor. It was first considered to originate from immature NK lymphocytes, but now its origin is thought to be plasmacytoid dendritic cell precursors. We present the clinicopathological characteristics of a new case of this entity in a 78-year-old male patient.