Bringing a Rare Disease to Light

In Episode 40 of Derms and Conditions, our host James Q. Del Rosso, DO sits down with Whitney A. High, MD, JD, a Professor of Dermatology and Pathology at the University of Colorado. The two discuss blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN), a highly aggressive and fatal malignancy that can be very challenging to diagnose.

Dermatologists are in a great position to make the initial diagnosis of this rare disease as it involves the skin in 80-90% of cases. Dr. High discusses several clinical pearls about BPDCN including how it presents, important considerations for the dermatopathologist, and the best techniques to biopsy the lesion in order to maximize diagnostic yield. Finally, he reviews the next steps in disease management once the diagnosis is made. Dermatologists can have a significant impact on patient outcomes with BPDCN by making the diagnosis early, so tune in to this episode to learn more!