Annular lesions in a pre-adolescent with leukemia

OBJECTIVES: To report an atypical case of erythema annulare centrifugum concomitant with acute lymphoid leukemia. METHODS: The etiology of erythema annulare centrifugum remains uncertain, although various triggering factors have been described, such as infections, autoimmune disorders, medications, and vaccines. Clinically, erythematous annular or polycyclic plaques are observed, which may present with scaling or pruritus. RESULTS: A 10-year-old girl undergoing treatment for acute lymphoid leukemia presented with centrifugally expanding erythematous plaques on the face and chest, with a progression of 15 days. Laboratory tests did not reveal significant alterations, and the histopathological examination was consistent with the clinical hypothesis of erythema annulare centrifugum. CONCLUSION: Erythema annulare centrifugum, associated with hematological malignancies such as leukemia and lymphoma, has been described as a facultative paraneoplastic dermatosis. In this case, after excluding other etiologies, the hematologic condition is identified as the probable triggering factor for the cutaneous lesions.