Hypopigmented Mycosis Fungoides in a 7-Year-Old Boy

Felipe Nazareth, Maria Victoria Quaresma, Fred Bernardes, Carlos Gustavo Carneiro Castro, Edilbert Pellegrini Nahn, Jose Augusto da Costa Nery, Mayra Carrijo Rochael, Omar Lupi

Department of Dermatology, Policlínica Geral do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

DOI: 10.4236/jcdsa.2012.22015                

Abstract

Hypopigmented mycosis fungoides (HMF) is an uncommon variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. It is more frequent in dark-skinned people, particularly children. The HMF diagnose is difficult, especially in early stages because this condition resembles benign skin diseases. Thus is histopathological analysis very important for the diagnosis. We report a case of a 7-year-old child with widespread HMF confirmed by histopathology that showed cells tagging along the dermal/epidermal junction and extending into the epidermis in a pattern of epidermotropism and focal cell aggregates in the epidermis (Pautrier’s microabscess). We demonstrate the importance of clinical suspicion for this cutaneous neoplasia in patients with hypopigmentated lesions.

Keywords

Hypopigmented; Child; Mycosis Fungoides

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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