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Case Report
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2025. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Clin Cases. Nov 6, 2025; 13(31): 112023
Published online Nov 6, 2025. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v13.i31.112023
Mantle cell lymphoma presenting primarily as cutaneous lesions: A case report
Pei-Yu Zhou, Wei Chen, Lin Wang
Pei-Yu Zhou, Wei Chen, Lin Wang, Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Zhou PY drafted and proofread the manuscript; Chen W and Wang L edited the manuscript; Wang L determined the theme and innovation; All authors have agreed upon the submission and publication of this work; All authors reviewed the manuscript.
Supported by the Department of Science and Technology of Sichuan Province, No. 2023NSFSC0724.
Informed consent statement: Informed consent was taken from the patient for publishing the data.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
CARE Checklist (2016) statement: The authors have read the CARE Checklist (2016), and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the CARE Checklist (2016).
Open Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Lin Wang, PhD, Chief Physician, Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, No. 7 Renmin Nanlu San Duan, Wuhou District, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan Province, China. lkzwl@126.com
Received: July 16, 2025
Revised: July 28, 2025
Accepted: September 12, 2025
Published online: November 6, 2025
Processing time: 106 Days and 20.6 Hours
Abstract
BACKGROUND

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma that rarely presents with cutaneous involvement, which typically occurs in advanced disease stages. Primary cutaneous manifestations are particularly uncommon and frequently misdiagnosed. We report a diagnostically challenging case of MCL that first appeared as a nodule on the lower leg.

CASE SUMMARY

An elderly female had a painless red nodule on the front of her right lower leg for six months. Positron emission tomography-computed tomography showed a soft tissue mass at the same site and increased activity in the right groin lymph nodes. Skin and lymph node biopsies, along with immunostaining, confirmed MCL. The patient began combination chemotherapy, resulting in a marked improvement of skin lesions and lymphadenopathy after two weeks.

CONCLUSION

Cutaneous manifestations, though uncommon, may serve as the initial clinical presentation of MCL. Dermatologists and pathologists should maintain heightened awareness of this diagnostic possibility when evaluating persistent, atypical cutaneous nodules, particularly in elderly patients. Histopathological evaluation with complete immunophenotypic profiling is paramount for accurate diagnosis.

Keywords: Mantle cell lymphoma; Skin neoplasms; Lymphoma; B-cell; Immunohistochemistry; Case report

Core Tip: Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an aggressive subtype of B-cell lymphoma that rarely involves the skin. When cutaneous involvement occurs, it often indicates advanced systemic disease and is associated with a poor prognosis. This case emphasizes the difficulty in differentiating cutaneous MCL from other similar lymphomas, such as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg-type. Accurate diagnosis relies heavily on immunophenotypic markers, particularly cyclin D1 and SOX11. Therefore, a comprehensive approach integrating clinical findings, histopathology, and molecular studies is vital for timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and improved patient outcomes.