Dystrophic Nails: An Unusual Clue to Recurrent Lymphoma

Abstract

Nail changes are a well-known phenomenon in T-cell lymphoma but have not been reported as widely in Bcell lymphomas and Hodgkin lymphomas. We describe a patient with a history of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in a background of nodular lymphocyte predominant Hodgkin lymphoma treated eight years prior who developed new nail changes that were noted on a routine surveillance visit. He had developed symptoms of painful fingertips that became white and required him to wear gloves even in warm weather, suggestive of Raynaud phenomenon. Due to a suspicion of a paraneoplastic phenomenon, a positron emission tomography-computed tomography was obtained, which showed fluorodeoxyglucose avid uptake involving the spleen and retroperitoneal, para-aortic, and right inguinal lymph nodes. Right inguinal lymph node biopsy was non-diagnostic and a splenectomy was performed. Pathology evaluation of the spleen revealed recurrent nodular lymphocyte-predominant Hodgkin lymphoma. Treatment was initiated with rituximab-based systemic therapy. The Beau lines grew out eventually with normal new nail growth and there was an improvement in Raynaud phenomenon after systemic treatment.