Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma presenting as ANA positive chronic papular urticaria like skin lesions – A case report

The skin acts as a natural barrier between internal organs and the external environment. Many haematological neoplasms occur in the skin as a primary malignant transformation, as secondary involvement, or as paraneoplastic cutaneous manifestations. Malignant skin involvement in Hodgkin lymphoma is uncommon while paraneoplastic cutaneous involvement can occur as eczema, pruritus, erythema nodosum, and icthyosiform atrophy.¹
This case report describes a 25-year-old woman with a persistent pruritic rash, who was treated as chronic papular urticaria, before finally being diagnosed as Classic Hodgkin Lymphoma. This highlights the challenge of early diagnosis of cutaneous manifestations of Hodgkin lymphoma and the importance of considering malignancies in refractory dermatological conditions. This case also suggests a potential role for ANA patterns as diagnostic markers in Hodgkin lymphoma.