Pruritus in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Abstract

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) account for about 80% of skin lymphomas. CTCL encompasses a diverse group of diseases that are characterized by malignant T lymphocytes that initially home to the skin.1 Within the CTCL, mykosis fungoides (MF) is the most common variant.2 The classical form of MF is characterized by erythematous flat patches in early stages, which may progress to palpable reddish-brown infiltrated plaques. In late stages of MF, the patients show a combination of patches, plaques and tumor lesions or may present as generalized diffuse erythema. A prolonged natural history is one of the remarkable clinical features of MF.3 By contrast, Sezary syndrome (SS) is a rare disease characterized by erythroderma, generalized lymphadenopathy and the presence of atypical convoluted Sézary T cells in the blood count. © 2010 Springer-Verlag London.