Cutaneous presentation of steroid responsive blastoid natural killer cell lymphoma

CD56+ lymphomas derived from natural killer (NK) cell lineage are rarely en countered in Western populations and their clinical and pathological featur es have not been fully defined, The majority of reported cases are lymphoma s of the nasal cavity, which are most commonly seen in Asia. A subtype of C D56+ lymphoma has recently been described (blastoid NK-cell lymphoma) which characteristically presents in older patients with cutaneous infiltrates a nd disease at other nodal and extranodal sites. We describe a case that cor relates well with the clinicopathological features of blastoid NK-cell lymp homa. An unusual feature in our patient was that the cutaneous features of the lymphoma showed complete resolution shortly following commencement of o ral steroid therapy.