Advances in Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas

Mycosis Fungoides (MF) is a cancer of the so-called T-cells located in the skin. It is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. MF skin lesions can look similar to other skin conditions such as Eczema or Psoriasis, which often leads to a delayed diagnosis and sometimes requires repeated skin biopsies. An early and accurate diagnosis is important, since this type of cancer may progress over time to more advanced stages that affects other parts of the body. We therefore want to study novel imaging techniques for the diagnosis of MF to provide an additional tool for early detection of this condition. These techniques are non-invasive, i.e. they do not cause any harm or pain and may aid in the differentiation of MF from other skin conditions and allow the assessment of treatment response. MF is a form of cancer that typically progresses slowly but can cause significant symptoms such as pruritus, tumors and disfiguring skin lesions. Therefore, apart from the treatment effectivity, quality of life plays a critical role for individuals affected by this form of cancer. As part of this project, we will investigate the quality of life of patients with MF diagnosed and treated at our institution, with the aim to firstly describe factors that impact quality of life associated with this condition and secondly implement measures to improve the quality of life.

Mycosis Fungoides (MF) is a cancer of the so-called "T-cells" located in the skin. It is the most common type of "cutaneous T-cell lymphomas". MF skin lesions can look similar to other skin conditions such as "Eczema" or "Psoriasis", which often leads to a median diagnostic delay of 3 years and often requires repeated skin biopsies. An early and accurate diagnosis is important, since this type of cancer may progress over time to more advanced stages that may affect other parts of the body (blood and organs). We therefore studied and compared novel imaging techniques for the early diagnosis of MF. We performed ultrasound scans using a high frequency ultrasound machine and took dermoscopy (a form of skin surface microscopy) images from the same representative skin lesion (index lesion) from patients with MF, eczema and psoriasis. These techniques are non-invasive, i.e. they do not cause any harm or pain and may aid in the differentiation of MF from other skin conditions and allow the assessment of treatment response. With our prospectively collected data we were able to identify specific dermoscopy characteristics that in the future may help to differentiate MF skin lesions from atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. With the application of high frequency ultrasound, we could demonstrate that the epidermal thickness (the thickness of the outer layer of the skin) differs between MF-, atopic dermatitis- and psoriasis patients, but further studies will be needed to verify these results.