Overall clinical course of indeterminate dendritic cell tumor patients without skin lesions: A rare case report

Abstract

BACKGROUND Indeterminate dendritic cell tumor (IDCT) is a rare tumor of immune cells, and IDCT patients without skin lesions are rarely reported. Therefore, the clinical course in this type of patient is unclear, and further research on the underlying pathological mechanisms and appropriate treatments is needed. CASE SUMMARY This study describes a female IDCT patient with bile duct lesions. The strong mimicry of IDCT lesions confused doctors, and consequently, this patient, who had no skin lesions, was first diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma. Then, she presented with persistent abdominal distension without jaundice. Enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes along with massive ascites were observed in the subsequent imaging examination. However, no tumor cells or pathogens were found in the three subsequent ascites analyses. It took 2 years to reach the correct diagnosis, which was eventually obtained by performing surgery for biopsy of the patient’s abdominal lymph nodes. However, by then, she was already in a cachexic state. Finally, she received a cycle of cyclophosphamide therapy and was advised to visit a hospital specializing in rare diseases. CONCLUSION For IDCT patients without skin lesions, early biopsy is the key to obtaining a correct diagnosis. Moreover, the collective management of IDCT patients is important. Further histological and molecular biology studies based on human specimens are critical for understanding the pathological mechanism of dendritic cell tumors in the future.