Association of sarcoidosis, low-grade B-lymphoma and epidermoid carcinoma

Abstract

We report on a case of the so-called sarcoidosis-lymphoma syndrome in a 65-year-old man diagnosed as having sarcoidosis and, four years later, neuro-sarcoidosis. The diagnoses of epidermoid carcinoma of the skin and of stage IV monocytoid, small cell lymphocytic lymphoma were made five and seven years, respectively, after the initial diagnosis of sarcoidosis. It has been suggested that the increased mitotic activity of lymphocytes observed in sarcoidosis, favours their malignant transformation. Hypothetically, sarcoidosis might also influence the development of epidermoid carcinomas by depletion of circulating T4 lymphocytes and decreased resistance to oncogenic viruses that could lead to decreased tumour rejection in the epithelia exposed to carcinogenic stimuli.