BOOK REVIEW An Illustrated Guide to Skin Lymphoma: Second Edition

Our knowledge of cutaneous lymphomas has been significantly growing in the past 2 decades as a result of important discoveries in immunology, molecular biology, and immunohistochemistry. In addition, improved clinical pathologic correlation and follow-up data, as well as the synergistic collaboration among different lymphoma registries and experts from various academic medical centers in order to study rare variants, have greatly contributed to our understanding of the challenging field of cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders. While these advances have increased our knowledge of cutaneous lymphomas, they have also produced a considerable and sometimes confusing litany of articles, studies, reviews, and classification schemes. Drs. Cerroni, Gatter, and Kerl have been uniquely successful in organizing the vast majority of this complex information in a clear, structured, and comprehensive manner. Their important work, An Illustrated Guide to Skin Lymphoma, is now in its second edition and includes many important updates. This book is superbly well illustrated with many clinical and microscopic images, including several of immunohistochemical staining patterns. The authors have produced a well-organized guide, which is divided into 6 chapters covering T-cell lymphomas, B-cell lymphomas, blastic NK-cell lymphomas, Hodgkin lymphomas, other cutaneous lymphomas/leukemias, and pseudolymphomas. The ‘‘at-a-glance’’ summary at the end of each chapter is a nice feature and allows for a quick review of the basic features of each disease entity. In-text citations, which were absent in the first edition, are now provided. In addition, the well-selected references have been expanded and updated. Unfortunately, the second edition was published before the release of the combined WHO-EORTC (World Health Organization-European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer) classification of cutaneous lymphomas. However, most elements of the new classification are found throughout the book, especially since the authors were actively involved in its development. While no classification scheme will allow for perfect categorization of every possible lymphoproliferative process, the new classification is the best attempt yet, and it is the result of an extensive collaboration of prominent scholars in hematopathology, dermatopathology, and clinical dermatology. The Illustrated Guide to Skin Lymphoma accompanied by the combined WHO-EORTC classification are a perfect combination from which to review this complex subject, to facilitate in the diagnosis and management of patients with cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders, and to approach a skin biopsy with an atypical lymphoid infiltrate. This book is an excellent resource for dermatopathologists, dermatologists, pathologists, hematologists/ oncologists, residents, and fellows. In the words of the authors, ‘‘this is more a new book than a second edition of the old one. ’’ The large number and high quality of illustrations of the first edition have been increased by 50% in the second edition. Completely new chapters as well as several entities that were not included in the first edition have been added. Given the extensive revisions and updates, satisfied owners of the first edition should seriously consider obtaining the new one.