This benign, self-limited, skin eruption can be confused with malignant lymphoma, particularly anaplastic large cell lymphoma involving the skin. It is usually confined to one or a few chronically recurring papulo-ulcerative lesions in an otherwise healthy individual. Its major importance is to recognize that it is a self-limited neoplasm and will regress spontaneously. Recent evidence indicates that some cases can be shown to be clonal T-cell lymphoproliferative lesions. However, separation of lymphomatoid papulosis from anaplastic large cell lymphoma involving skin is difficult. Nonetheless, the majority of patients with clinically and pathologically typical lymphomatoid papulosis have a unique disease course which resolves spontaneously, but may relapse and remit for years. It is essential that review of the biopsy material be done by an experienced hematopathologist and dermatopathologist who have been informed of the clinical history.
