ALK negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma of the oral cavity showing spontaneous regression

Abstract

Anaplastic large cell lymphoma is a subset of T-cell lymphoma which is rarely seen in the oral cavity. This entity may be either primary cutaneous or systemic and the prognosis varies significantly by subtype. In addition, several similar entities have been reported which may mimic this lesion both clinically and histologically. We present a case of anaplastic large cell lymphoma, ALK negative, on the mucosal aspect of the upper lip of an 88 year-old female with a history of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma which demonstrated spontaneous regression after biopsy. A brief review of the literature along with an overview of clinical behavior, histologic presentation, immunohistochemical analysis, genetics, and differential diagnosis of this subtype of anaplastic large cell lymphoma are presented.