A rapidly progressing, fatal case of primary systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma presenting as erythroderma--association with carbamazepine.

A 73-year-old male patient admitted with erythroderma was diagnosed to have primary systemic Analpastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) positive, CD 30 positive, anaplastic large cell lymphoma. The patient's condition deteriorated rapidly during the period after the diagnosis was confirmed, with subsequent death before chemotherapy could be started. He had been started on carbamazepine, for diabetic neuropathy three months prior to the development of the skin lesions. Here we highlight the possibility of carbamazepine inducing anaplastic large cell lymphomas and the need for a high level of suspicion to make an early diagnosis allowing rapid appropriate treatment in such cases.