B-cell Cutaneous Lymphoma
The three main types of CBCL are:
- Primary cutaneous follicle centre lymphoma (PCFCL)
- Primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (PCMZL)
- Primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type (PCLBCL-LT)
PCFCL and PCMZL are slow growing, low-grade with a good prognosis (10-year survival exceeds 90%), while PCLBCL-LT has a more unfavorable prognosis (5-year disease-related survival is about 50%).
Primary cutaneous follicle centre lymphoma (PCFCL) is the most common type of CBCL and is usually found on the head, neck or upper torso. Some patients find nodules in many areas of the body, but this is usually a single tumor or a small group of nodules.
Primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (PCMZL) is the second most common form of CBCL and is associated with a type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma known as mucosa–associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma (MALT). It can occur anywhere on the skin, but usually affects the hands, feet or torso, with bumps, nodules and, less commonly, tumors. Some people with MALT lymphoma have signs of a bacterial infection called Borrelia burgdorferi.
Primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type (PCLBCL-LT) is a rare and very dangerous type of lymphoma, with the most common location of the lower extremities. Unlike other types of slow-growing lymphoma, this type is more likely to spread beyond the skin and require treatment with or without chemotherapy.
