Characteristic Histopathology of Cutaneous Lymphoplasia (Lymphocytoma)

Abstract

One hundred fifteen cases of cutaneous lymphoplasia (lymphocytoma) were examined histologically. A characteristic histologic feature common to all 115 cases was the presence of large pale reticulum cells containing one or more round polychrome bodies. Such polychrome bodies correspond to the Flemming bodies in mature lymph nodes. Five different types of cutaneous lymphoplasia could be differentiated upon histologic examination: the lymphatic type, the granulomatous type, the reticulum cell type, the giant follicular type, and the plasma cell type. It is felt that the cause of cutaneous lymphoplasia is a special tendency of some individuals to react with hyperplasia of preexistent lymphoreticular tissue to such etiologic stimuli as infection, trauma, and insect bites. For this reason, the term cutaneous lymphoplasia was chosen to replace the old designation, lymphocytoma.