Lymphomatoid papulosis. A continuing self-healing eruption, clinically benign--histologically malignant

A 41-year-old woman has an asymptomatic eruption of three years' duration. The clinical course is benign and is characterized by a continuing, random, coming and going of papules, some of which undergo necrosis, and all of which involute spontaneously within three to four weeks. Results of repeated physical examinations and laboratory studies are normal. Yet, biopsies of the skin lesions show an alarming infiltrate of anaplastic cells of disputatious origin, suggesting to most reviewers a diagnosis of malignant lymphoma. A number of comparable cases are reviewed, their similarity implying an uncommon entity.