Systemic sarcoidosis and cutaneous lymphoma: is the association fortuitous?

The association of systemic sarcoidosis and malignant lymphoma is known as the 'sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome', Cutaneous in involvement is rare in th is syndrome, We report a 52-year-old woman who was diagnosed as having tumo ur-stage mycosis fungoides, Complete remission was achieved by combination therapy consisting of isotretinoin, interferon (IFN) alpha, electron beam i rradiation, photochemotherapy and topical corticosteroids, Three years late r, the patient developed systemic sarcoidosis characterized by yellowish pa pules on the abdominal wall and the eyelids that histologically revealed no n-caseating granulomas, multiple fine-nodular interstitial pulmonary infilt rates on chest X-ray hilar lymphadenopathy, decreased vital capacity and in creased lymphocyte count in bronchoalveloar lavage fluid, As opposed to mos t of the reported cases, in our patient the manifestation of cutaneous lymp homa preceded the diagnosis of systemic sarcoidosis, We review the cases re ported in the literature and discuss a possible causal and temporal relatio nship as well as the role of IFN alpha in the development of sarcoidosis.