Alopecia Areata as a Paraneoplastic Syndrome of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma: A Case Report
April 2014
in “
Molecular and Clinical Oncology
”
TLDR Alopecia areata can be an early sign of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and may improve with lymphoma treatment.
This case report described a 46-year-old male diagnosed with alopecia areata (AA) several months before the onset of B symptoms and stage IVB classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL). The patient received 6 cycles of ABVD chemotherapy, resulting in complete remission of both HL and AA. The report highlighted that AA can precede or occur concurrently with HL and that treating HL often resolves AA. The etiology of AA as a paraneoplastic syndrome in HL remained unclear but was thought to involve T-lymphocyte-mediated mechanisms. This case underscored the importance of recognizing AA as a potential indicator of underlying malignancy.