Large Cells With CD30 Expression and Hodgkin-like Features in Primary Cutaneous Marginal Zone B-Cell Lymphoma

The presence of CD30+cells in cutaneous lymphomas has come to prominence in recent years as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic marker. In primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphomas, the presence of large CD30+cells with Hodgkin-like features and their significance have not yet been studied. Here we describe the main clinical, histologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular characteristics of 13 cases of primary cutaneous marginal zone lymphomas featuring >10% of CD30+large cells, and analyze their relationship with histologic and clinical progression of the disease and with other morphologic and immunophenotypic features. We report 10 male and 3 female patients, 4 with early-local disease and 8 with locoregional advanced disease without extracutaneous involvement but with a high relapse rate of 69%. We describe an association between a high level of CD30 expression and disease progression, with increased clinical recurrence in cases with >15% of CD30+cells. We also discuss the differential diagnosis with other cutaneous and systemic lymphomas, especially Hodgkin lymphoma.