Paraneoplastic pityriasis lichenoides in cutaneous lymphoma: case report and review of the literature on paraneoplastic reactions of the skin in lymphoma and leukaemia

Paraneoplastic dermatoses are non-neoplastic skin disorders which occur in the context of an underlying malignant neoplasm. The classic paraneoplastic dermatoses are mostly associated with solid internal malignancies. They only rarely occur in the context of nodal or primary cutaneous lymphomas. Apart from these classic paraneoplastic dermatoses, there are additional skin disorders reported to occur in close association with haematological and lymphoproliferative disorders which can thus be regarded as paraneoplastic manifestations. We report for the first time two patients with pityriasis lichenoides et varioliformis acuta in association with mycosis fungoides. In addition, we review the literature on paraneoplastic dermatoses of the skin which have been described in patients with leukaemias and primary cutaneous lymphomas.