CD30 expression and proliferative fraction in nontransformed mycosis fungoides

The major differential diagnosis for a primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder with CD30 (Ki-1) positivity includes primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma, lymphomatoid papulosis, pagetoid reticulosis and transformed mycosis fungoides (MF). Little is known, however, about CD30 expression in nontransformed MF, whether it simply reflects the proliferative fraction and if either CD30 staining or the proliferative fraction are of prognostic significance. Therefore, 47 nontransformed MF biopsies were stained for CD30 and Ki-67. The proportions of positive cells were determined and correlated with each other as well as with age, stage at diagnosis, maximum stage and survival. All cases had at least rare dermal CD30-positive cells. Higher percentages of dermal CD30 and Ki-67-positive cells were associated with a higher stage at diagnosis, and together with epidermal CD30, associated with a higher maximum stage. The proportion of CD30 and Ki-67-positive cells did not correlate with each other. Survivals were shorter if the dermal CD30 or epidermal or dermal Ki-67% were greater than the median (4.7%, 14%, 13%) and in patients of greater than or equal to 60 years of age or with a high stage. Dermal Ki-67 as a continuous variable was an independent prognostic indicator (P<0.001), as were dermal Ki-67 (P=0.004) and dermal CD30 (P=0.027) when analyzed as dichotomous variables but not stage. Therefore, CD30 expression is not restricted to transformed MF but higher levels of dermal CD30 expression and, even more so, dermal Ki-67 levels are independent adverse prognostic indicators.