Lymphomatoid Papulosis - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Lymphomatoid Papulosis is a stubborn persistent rash that usually occurs on the chest, stomach, back, arms and legs. Lymphomatoid papulosis is a rare skin disorder that is characterised by crops of self healing skin lesions that look cancerous under the microscope but are actually benign (non-malignant). Lesions contain unusual cells that are similar to those found in some lymphomas (cancers of the lymphatic system). Most of the cases of this disease are benign. It is a rare disease which affects people of all age, race. The diagnosis is done on the basis of a skin biopsy and has to be repeated on several occasions. Patients suffering from this condition are required to see their doctor regularly in order to be sure that their condition does not turn into cancer. Only around one of the ten cases turn into lymphoma but still it is recommended to see a doctor on regular basis. Women are more susceptible to this condition. Around ten to twenty percent of the patients might have an associated lymphoma before. The bumps that are formed heal within two to three weeks but they reappear. The rashes formed continue for the rest of the life as up till now no cure has been discovered for this skin disorder. Skin biopsy needs to be conducted in order to diagnose this disease and in some cases it needs to be repeated on several occasions. It has been found out that this disorder generally appears between the ages of 26 and 34 although it can strike people of all ages.

Causes of Lymphomatoid Papulosis

The cause of this disease is not known but it has been associated with T-cell lymphocytes. The incidence of occurrence of this disease is 1.2 to 1.9 cases per million populations. Lymphomatoid papulosis may begin as a chronic, reactive, polyclonal lymphoproliferative phenomenon that sporadically overwhelms host immune defenses and evolves into a clonal, antigen-independent, true lymphoid malignancy. Belongs in the spectrum of primary cutaneous Ki-1 + lymphoproliferative disorders, including pseudo-Hodgkin's disease of the skin, regressing atypical histiocytosis, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and Ki-1 + large cell lymphoma.

Find common causes and risk factors of Lymphomatoid Papulosis :

• The cause of lymphomatoid papulosis is not known.
• Lymphomatoid papulosis often lasts for years. Patients need to see their doctor regularly to make sure their condition does not turn into cancer.
• In some people lymphomatoid papulosis turns into lymphoma which is a form of cancer. This happens in about one out of ten people.

Signs and Symptoms of Lymphomatoid Papulosis

Sign and symptoms may include the following :

• Appetite loss. 
• Itchy skin, red patches.
• Swollen spleen or liver.
• Weight loss.
• Fatigueness.
• Drenching night sweats.

Treatment for Lymphomatoid Papulosis

It is difficult to treat this condition as there is no cure for it. In this case cortisone ointments would be helpful sometimes, UV light treatment can help in controlling this condition and methotrexate light treatment can also help in controlling lymphomatoid papulosis.

Treatment may include :

• Topical steroid creams can also be used.
• Oral psoralen plus UV-A phototherapy (PUVA) also effectively treats and suppresses the disease.
• Ultraviolet light treatment may help in controlling lymphomatoid papulosis.
• CD30 + cutaneous lymphoma has an excellent prognosis when treated by excision and local radiotherapy.
• Methotrexate is sometimes used to treat lymphomatoid papulosis.
• Cortisone ointments will sometimes help.

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