How is cutaneous B-cell lymphoma diagnosed?

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How is cutaneous B-cell lymphoma diagnosed?

CBCL lesions can look like pimples, bug bites, allergic reactions, scabs or skin conditions (such as eczema or psoriasis). Because of this, many people wait to seek medical attention. But if you have any skin abnormalities, you should talk to a healthcare provider, such as your primary care provider or a dermatologist.

Your healthcare provider can diagnose CBCL with a physical examination and skin biopsy. During a physical exam, your healthcare provider will look at your skin all over your body, carefully assessing any abnormalities. During a skin biopsy, they’ll remove a small piece of tissue so an expert can look at it under a microscope. A biopsy can identify skin lymphoma and its subtype.

Your healthcare provider might order staging tests to determine whether the cancer has spread. These tests might include:

  • Blood tests.
  • Imaging tests such as CT scan or PET scan.
  • Bone marrow biopsy.
  • Biopsy of the lymph nodes.

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