Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma
Cutaneous T-Cell lymphoma, or CTCL, is a form of cancer that affects the skin. It originates in T-Cell lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell), and is generally divided into three developmental stages: patch, plaque and tumor. It can be confused with other skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis.
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Causes
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CTCL generally starts when the cell DNA of a lymphocyte in a lymph gland is damaged in some way, resulting in a mutation. The cell divides in an uncontrollable manner, and each cell grows in size unhindered, resulting in the formation of a tumor.
Symptoms
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The first stage of the disease presents as red, itchy skin and it commonly does not progress past this stage, per the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The second plaque stage of the disease is characterized by swollen or enlarged lymph nodes. It often takes years to develop into the third phase, where a tumor(s) form.
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Diagnosis
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A biopsy of the affected area of the skin is required for diagnosis. Sometimes, numerous biopsies are required to make sure the disease is not confused with other inflammatory skin diseases.
Treatment
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If the disease is relegated to the skin, and has not spread to other body systems, localized treatment such as corticosteroids and photochemotherapy may be used.
Prognosis
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Prognosis is different based on the stage of the disease, and how early treatment is started. If caught early, survival rates are near 100 percent. If caught in later stages, or if the disease spreads to other parts of the body, the prognosis becomes much more grim, with third stage cutaneous T-cell lymphoma having a survival rate of under 50 percent.
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