Alopecia Areata as a Manifestation of Systemic Lymphoma: Report of Two Cases

Abstract

Alopecia areata is a common autoimmune disorder leading to hair loss. It usually affects individuals under the age of 40, and first appearance in older subjects is considered uncommon. Here, we report 2 cases of rapidly progressing alopecia areata, which appeared for the first time in adults. Patient 1 had alopecia universalis, which preceded the identification of hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of lymphoma. Patient 2 suffered from the ophiasis type of alopecia areata, presenting for the first time following chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin B-cell lymphoma. These 2 cases highlight the need to screen for malignancies in patients who present with rapidly progressing alopecia areata for the first time after the age of 40.

Keywords: Alopecia; Alopecia areata; Cancer; Hair; Hematology; Lymphoma.

Fig. 1

a Complete hair loss on the scalp of a patient with hepatosplenic T-cell lymphoma, accompanied by patches of hypopigmentation on the parietotemporal areas of the scalp. b Severe nail deformity, including onycholysis, onychorrhexis and leukonychia.

Fig. 2

Loss of hair on the occipital scalp of a patient previously treated with chemotherapy for a non-Hodgkin lymphoma.