Treatment of primary cutaneous CD30‐positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma with Wenyang Shengji decoction and Huanglian ointment: A case report

Abstract

Primary cutaneous CD30 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma (PC‐ALCL) is a rare non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. Combined chemotherapy regimens such as CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), MACOP‐B (methotrexate, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, and bleomycin), or F‐MACHOP (5‐fluorouracil, methotrexate, cytosine‐arabinoside, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone) are often used for its clinical treatment. In this study, we reported a new treatment method using a traditional Chinese therapy involving oral Wenyang Shengji decoction (WSD) combined with Huanglian ointment applied externally in a 32‐year‐old female patient with PC‐ALCL. Introduction: A 32‐year‐old woman who complained of an ulcer on the forehead accompanied by significant pain. PC‐ALCL was diagnosed by histopathological examination and immunohistochemical analysis. Treatment plan: WSD was prepared in 300 mL water and administered orally as a 150 mL decoction twice daily, and Huanglian ointment was applied to the ulcer three times daily. After 8 weeks of treatment with WSD combined with Huanglian ointment, the lesion healed completely. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed the presence of scattered CD3+++, CD4++, CD8++, CD20++, and CD30‐positive cells. After 12 weeks of treatment, the ulcer healed completely, leaving only a marked pale red‐ pitted scar. The patient was followed up for 3 years without recurrence and no adverse events. Conclusion: oral WSD combined with Huanglian ointment applied to the ulcer for PC‐ALCL can promote the healing of ulcers, reduce or alleviate the formation of scar, and eliminate CD30‐positive cells. This case report provides a reference for the clinical treatment of PC‐ALCL using traditional Chinese medicine.

Keywords

Huanglian ointment / primary cutaneous CD30 positive anaplastic large cell lymphoma / therapeutics / traditional Chinese medicine / Wenyang Shengji decoction

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The Author(s). Advanced Chinese Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Higher Education Press.