CENTROBLASTIC TRANSFORMATION OF CHRONIC LYMPHOCYTIC-LEUKEMIA WITH PRIMARY SKIN INVOLVEMENT - CUTANEOUS PRESENTATION OF RICHTERS SYNDROME

The development of a large-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a patient su ffering from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is known as Richter's syndr ome, representing one of the possible anaplastic transformations of th e leukaemia. Cutaneous involvement is an extremely rare event. The cas e of a 45-year-old man with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is re ported. Five years later multiple cutaneous nodules developed on his e xtremities. Biopsies of the skin showed a diffuse large-cell lymphoma, bearing the same cell surface immunoglobulin light chain isotype as t he leukaemia, suggesting the original relationship between both neopla sms.