Light therapies for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Abstract

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) represent a broad group of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas with considerable heterogeneity with respect to clinical presentation, histology, immunophenotype, and prognosis. The preferential localization of the malignant T-cell clone to the skin is a hallmark feature characteristic of all primary CTCL.1,2 Mycosis fungoides (MF) and the Sézary syndrome (SS) make up the majority of cases of CTCL. The term MF was originally coined by Alibert and Bazin 200 years ago because of the mushroom-like appearance of the tumors. SS is the leukemic variant of CTCL, classically described by the triad of erythroderma, lymphadenopathy, and the presence of the malignant T-cell clone in the blood. SS was previously categorized as a subtype of MF; however, the new WHO-European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) classification system scheme lists MF and SS as separate entities (Table 8.1). Given the heterogeneity in clinical, pathological, and prognostic features of cutaneous lymphomas, it is important to distinguish MF from other forms of primary CTCL (Table 8.1).3 Also, distinction between primary and secondary/nodal CTCL is very important as primary cutaneous lymphomas have a slow and indolent clinical course as opposed to their systemic counterparts when systemic manifestations and internal organ involvement are present from the time of diagnosis, and skin involvement is a secondary phenomenon2 (for review, see Ferenczi and Kupper 4). © 2009 Springer-Verlag London.