Lymphoma-associated papulosis: lymphomatoid papulosis associated with lymphoma

Lymphomatoid papulosis is a condition characterized by the continuing appearance of self-healing inflammatory papulonodules which histologically show atypical cells simulating a malignant process. We describe two patients who had features typical of lymphomatoid papulosis in whom a lymphoreticular malignancy developed. The first patient developed Hodgkin's disease 30 years after the onset of lesions that resembled lymphomatoid papulosis, and the second patient developed a lymphocytic lymphoma 11 months after the appearance of the self-healing papules. While most patients with lymphomatoid papulosis have a benign protracted course, "lymphoma-associated papulosis" represents the malignant end of this spectrum, in which lymphomatoid papulosis is associated with a lymphoma. All patients with lymphomatoid papulosis require close, long-term follow-up.