Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm in a young female: Rare and challenging

Abstract

Blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) is a rare hematopoietic malignancy with an aggressive behavior, seen commonly in the elderly age group and usually involves the skin. Evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment pose unique challenges with poor outcomes. We report a case of an 18-year-old female who presented with lymphadenopathy and bicytopenia. The diagnosis of BPDCN was an initial challenge. She thereafter received intensive chemotherapy followed by an allogenic partially mismatched sibling donor hematopoietic cell transplantation, only to relapse in a few months. Beginning from the diagnosis, the management of this rare disorder and its relapse until her last followup provided several learning opportunities.