[Primary centrocytic lymphoma of the skin: diagnosis, course and therapy (author's transl)]

A primary B-cell lymphoma of the skin is described, showing the clinical picture of a lymphadenosis cutis circumscripta. According to the Kiel classification, it has been classified as a centrocytic lymphoma (centrocytoma) belonging to the low-grade malignancy group. The centrocytoma is a newly defined type of lymphoma which is not identical with any earlier entity of lymphoreticular neoplasia. Although the centrocytoma is said to occur relatively often in the skin, the present case report seems to be the first clinical description of this variant. In our patient a solitary tumor of the face was found, which had slowly enlarged since 3 1/2 years. No lymph node and no systemic involvement were detectable. With a telecobalt-60 treatment up to a total of 40 Gy (= 4,000 rad) a complete involution could be achieved without recurrence 6 months after radiotherapy had been finished. In contrast to the centrocytoma of lymphonodal origin, the primary cutaneous type may obviously remain localized for a long time with low tendency to progression.