Cutaneous malignant lymphoma of the nasal tip

Cutaneous lymphomas are relatively rare malignant lesions. Lymphomas limited to the skin are uncommon and most patients have a generalized disease. The head and neck are the most common sites of presentation. This lesion is diagnostically problematic since histologic distinction from several benign cutaneous lymphocytic infiltrates is occasionally difficult and thus its clinical behavior is unpredictable. The most common histopathologic subtype is diffuse histiocytic lymphoma and therapy is analogous to that for lymphomas arising elsewhere. The prognosis of lymphoma presenting in the skin is dependent upon the initial extent of the disease and probably upon histology. A case of cutaneous malignant lymphoma arising at the nasal tip, surgically treated, is presented.