Revisions to the staging and classification of mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome: a proposal of the International Society for Cutaneous Lymphomas (ISCL) and the cutaneous lymphoma task force of the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)

The importance of assessing blood tumour burden in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) are the best-studied subtypes of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The level of blood tumour burden in patients is important for diagnosis, disease staging, prognosis and management, as well as assessing treatment response. Until recently, the assessment of blood involvement was made using manual counts of morphologically atypical T cells (Sézary cells), but this approach may be subjective, and is affected by interobserver variability. Objective and consistent approaches to accurately quantifying blood involvement are required to ensure appropriate stage-related management of patients and to improve our understanding of the prognostic implications of blood tumour burden in these diseases. While assessment of blood involvement is common in SS and advanced-stage MF, an improved understanding of the implications of blood involvement at early disease stages could help identify patients more likely to progress to late-stage disease, and hence guide treatment decisions and frequency of follow-up assessment, ultimately improving patient outcomes. This concise review discusses the development of flow cytometry-based classifications for assessing blood involvement in MF and SS, and summarizes current recommendations for blood classification and assessment of blood response to treatment.

Enhancement of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity is associated with treatment response to extracorporeal photopheresis in Sézary syndrome

Sézary syndrome (SS) is a rare, leukemic type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL), for which extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is a first-line therapy. Reliable biomarkers to objectively monitor the response to ECP in patients with SS are missing. We examined the quantitative and qualitative impact of ECP on natural killer (NK) cell activity in SS patients, and especially their functional ability for antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). Further, we addressed the question whether the magnitude of the effect on ADCC can be associated with the anti-cancer efficacy of ECP in SS patients. We assessed numbers of NK cells, ADCC activity, and treatment response based on blood tumor staging in a cohort of 13 SS patients (8 women, 5 men) treated with ECP as a first-line therapy. Blood samples were collected before treatment start and after an average of 9 months of uninterrupted ECP treatment. NK cell numbers were reduced in SS patients compared to healthy individuals and showed a tendency of recovery after long-term ECP treatment, independent of the clinical response to treatment. Patients with marginal increase (≤1.5 AU-fold) or lack of increase in ADCC activity failed to respond clinically to treatment, while patients with an increased ADCC activity showed a reduction in blood tumor burden. NK-mediated ADCC is selectively enhanced and might be a mechanism underlying the effect of ECP while in addition it can possibly serve as a reliable biomarker to objectively monitor response to ECP in patients with SS.

Management of primary cutaneous lymphomas during the COVID-19 pandemic

Primary cutaneous lymphomas are defined as a heterogenic group of T- and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas that present initially in the skin. Patients with primary cutaneous lymphomas are at a higher risk for developing complications in case of infection with the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the established diagnostic approach, staging, and therapeutic guidelines in patients with primary cutaneous lymphomas. In the light of the current global health crisis, management of primary cutaneous lymphomas needs to be adjusted. The key to achieving this is to balance the optimal control of the lymphoma, with a minimal increase of the personal risk for COVID-19 exposure and complications.

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for advanced mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. An updated experience of the Lymphoma Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation

BACKGROUND

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a potentially curative treatment option in advanced-stage mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS). This study presents an updated analysis of the initial experience of the Lymphoma Working Party of the European Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT) describing the outcomes after allo-HSCT for MF and SS, with special emphasis on the impact of the use of unrelated donors (URD).

METHODS AND PATIENTS

Eligible for this study were patients with advanced-stage MF or SS who underwent a first allo-HSCT from matched HLA-identical related or URD between January/1997 and December/2011. Sixty patients have been previously reported.

RESULTS

113 patients were included [77 MF (68%)]; 61 (54%) were in complete or partial remission, 86 (76%) received reduced-intensity protocols and 44 (39%) an URD allo-HSCT. With a median follow up for surviving patients of 73 months, allo-HSCT resulted in an estimated overall survival (OS) of 38% at 5 years, and a progression-free survival (PFS) of 26% at 5 years. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that advanced-phase disease (complete remission/partial remission >3, primary refractory or relapse/progression in patients that had received 3 or more lines of systemic treatment prior to transplant or the number of treatment lines was not known), a short interval between diagnosis and transplant (<18 months) were independent adverse prognostic factors for PFS; advanced-phase disease and the use of URDs were independent adverse prognostic factors for OS.

CONCLUSIONS

This extended series supports that allo-HSCT is able to effectively rescue over one third of the population of patients with advanced-stage MF/SS. High relapse rate is still the major cause of failure and needs to be improved with better strategies before and after transplant. The negative impact of URD is a matter of concern and needs to be further elucidated in future studies.

Critical concepts and management recommendations for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: A consensus-based position paper from the Italian Group of Cutaneous Lymphoma

In this paper, we present a review of critical concepts, and produce recommendations on management issues in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) of adults. A panel of nine experts was selected for their expertise in research and clinical practice of CTCLs. During an initial meeting, the areas of major concern in the management of CTCLs were selected by generating and rank-ordering clinical key questions using the criterion of clinical relevance, through group discussion. Recommendations were achieved by multiple-step formalized procedures to reach a consensus after a comprehensive analysis of the scientific literature. The panel produced recommendations on how to facilitate the clinical suspicion of CTCL; indication of cutaneous biopsy; optimal histological diagnosis, immunohistochemistry and genetic markers; and staging pathway and up-to-date therapeutics (with particular focus on new treatments). The critical concept of integration of the different medical expertise in the management of the patients with CTCL was thoroughly examined. These recommendations are intended for use not only by expert centers but above all by "not experienced" dermatologists and hematologists as well as general practitioners.

Low-Dose Total Skin Electron Beam Therapy as Part of a Multimodality Regimen for Treatment of Sézary Syndrome: Clinical, Immunologic, and Molecular Analysis

Importance

Sézary syndrome (SS) is an advanced form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with few long-term remissions observed.

Objective

To profile 3 patients with SS who have experienced long-term remission following the addition of low-dose total skin electron beam therapy (TSEBT) to systemic regimens of extracorporeal photopheresis, bexarotene, and interferon-γ.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This is a retrospective case series with additional investigations of patient-donated samples to assess therapeutic response. The study was conducted at the University of Pennsylvania Cutaneous Lymphoma Clinic and follows 3 patients with stage IVA1 CD4+ SS who presented to the clinic between November 1, 2009, and November 1, 2017, and who had a history of SS that was refractory to multimodality systemic therapy prior to receiving low-dose TSEBT.

Interventions

Patients were treated in a multimodality fashion with combined extracorporeal photopheresis, bexarotene, interferon-γ, and low-dose TSEBT.

Main Outcomes and Measures

To characterize treatment responses in these patients, the extent of skin disease was measured with the modified severity weighted assessment tool. Blood disease was measured with flow cytometric assessments of Sézary cell count, CD4:CD8 ratio, and high throughput sequencing of the T-cell receptors. To assess for restoration of immune function, we measured markers of immune exhaustion, including PD-1 (programmed cell death 1), TIGIT (T-cell immunoreceptor with immunoglobulin and ITIM domains), CTLA4 (cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4), TOX (thymocyte selection-associated high mobility group box protein), and Foxp3 (forkhead box P3) on circulating CD4 and CD8 T cells, along with production capacity of interferon-γ by lymphocytes following activation stimuli.

Results

Following administration of low-dose TSEBT and maintenance of the other therapies, remissions ranged from 24 to 30 months, with complete responses in 2 patients ongoing. Markers of immune exhaustion including PD-1, TIGIT, CTLA4, TOX, and Foxp3 were significantly reduced from baseline following TSEBT, along with enhanced production capacity of interferon-γ by lymphocytes following activation stimuli. High throughput sequencing demonstrated near-complete eradication of the circulating clone among 2 of 3 patients with stable levels in 1.

Conclusions and Relevance

We describe 3 patients who achieved long-term clinical and molecular remissions following low-dose TSEBT as part of a multimodality regimen for treatment of SS. As long-term remissions in SS are uncommon, this approach demonstrates promise, and clinical trials should be considered.

A retrospective, descriptive study of patients with Mycosis fungoides treated by phototherapy (oral PUVA, NB-UVB) with a twice-weekly regimen at the Institute of Dermatology, Bangkok, Thailand, with an experiential timeline of 13 years

BACKGROUND

Phototherapy has been a first-line treatment for early-stage mycosis fungoides (MF) since 1976. Oral 8-methoxypsoralen plus ultraviolet A (oral PUVA) and narrow-band ultraviolet B (NB-UVB) are favorable modalities owing to their availability. In previous studies, phototherapy was conducted thrice per week initially, which is not feasible for many patients.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the initial clinical responses and time to relapse in patients with early-stage MF treated with oral PUVA and NB-UVB at a twice-weekly regimen.

METHODS

We reviewed the records of patients with biopsy-proven MF who received oral PUVA or NB-UVB in 2002-2014. Demographic data, staging, response to initial course of phototherapy, and initial relapse-free interval were collected.

RESULTS

Among 70 patients, 14 (20%) and 56 (80%) were treated with oral PUVA and NB-UVB, respectively. The majority had early-stage MF (IA, 22.9%, IB, 57.1%, and IIA, 4.3%). Oral PUVA led to a complete response (CR) in 2 (14.3%) patients and partial response (PR) in 7 (50%) patients; 17 (30.4%) and 25 (44.6%) patients, respectively, achieved CR and PR with NB-UVB. The number of treatments was similar in both groups. The cumulative dose was 520.7 J/cm² for PUVA and 41.6 J/cm² for NB-UVB. There was no initial relapse in the 2 (100%) patients and in 10 (58.8%) patients treated with oral PUVA and NB-UVB at 18 months and 9.14 months of follow-up, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Patients with early-stage MF can achieve clinical response with oral PUVA and NB-UVB, with a twice per week regimen. The initial relapse-free interval was longer than 1 year.

Brentuximab Vedotin for Treating Relapsed or Refractory CD30-Positive Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma: An Evidence Review Group Perspective of a NICE Single Technology Appraisal

As part of the single technology appraisal process, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence invited Takeda UK Ltd to submit clinical- and cost-effectiveness evidence for brentuximab vedotin (BV) for treating relapsed or refractory CD30-positive (CD30+) cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). The Liverpool Reviews and Implementation Group at the University of Liverpool was commissioned to act as the evidence review group (ERG). This article summarises the ERG's review of the company's submission for BV and the appraisal committee (AC) decision. The principal clinical evidence was derived from a subgroup of patients with advanced-stage CD30+ mycosis fungoides (MF) or primary cutaneous anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (pcALCL) in the phase III ALCANZA randomised controlled trial (RCT). This trial compared BV versus physician's choice (PC) of methotrexate or bexarotene. Evidence from three observational studies was also presented, which included patients with other CTCL subtypes. The ERG's main concerns with the clinical evidence were the lack of RCT evidence for CTCL subtypes other than MF or pcALCL, lack of robust overall survival data (data were immature and confounded by subsequent treatment and treatment crossover on disease progression) and lack of conclusive results from analyses of health-related quality-of-life data. The ERG noted that many areas of uncertainty in the cost-effectiveness analysis were related to the clinical data, arising from the rarity of the condition and its subtypes and the complexity of the treatment pathway. The ERG highlighted that the inclusion of allogeneic stem-cell transplant (alloSCT) as an option in the treatment pathway was based on weak evidence and generated more uncertainty in a disease area that, because of its rarity and diversity, was already highly uncertain. The ERG also lacked confidence in the company's modelling of the post-progression pathway and was concerned that it may not produce reliable results. Results from the company's base-case comparison (including a simple discount patient access scheme [PAS] for BV) showed that treatment with BV dominated PC. The ERG's revisions and scenario analyses highlighted the high level of uncertainty around the company base-case cost-effectiveness results, ranging from BV dominating PC to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio per quality-adjusted life-year gained of £494,981. The AC concluded that it was appropriate to include alloSCT in the treatment pathway even though data were limited. The AC recommended BV as an option for treating CD30+ CTCL after at least one systemic therapy in adults if they have MF, stage IIB or higher pcALCL or Sézary syndrome and if the company provides BV according to the commercial arrangement (i.e. simple discount PAS).

Epidemiological changes in cutaneous lymphomas: an analysis of 8593 patients from the French Cutaneous Lymphoma Registry

BACKGROUND

Primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCLs) are a heterogeneous group of T-cell (CTCL) and B-cell (CBCL) malignancies. Little is known about their epidemiology at initial presentation in Europe and about potential changes over time.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this retrospective study was to analyse the frequency of PCLs in the French Cutaneous Lymphoma Registry (GFELC) and to describe the demography of patients.

METHODS

Patients with a centrally validated diagnosis of primary PCL, diagnosed between 2005 and 2019, were included.

RESULTS

The calculated incidence was unprecedently high at 1·06 per 100 000 person-years. The number of included patients increased yearly. Most PCL subtypes were more frequent in male patients, diagnosed at a median age of 60 years. The relative frequency of rare CTCL remained stable, the proportion of classical mycosis fungoides (MF) decreased, and the frequency of its variants (e.g. folliculotropic MF) increased. Similar patterns were observed for CBCL; for example, the proportion of marginal-zone CBCL increased over time.

CONCLUSIONS

Changes in PCL frequencies may be explained by the emergence of new diagnostic criteria and better description of the entities in the most recent PCL classification. Moreover, we propose that an algorithm should be developed to confirm the diagnosis of PCL by central validation of the cases.

Hypopigmented Mycosis Fungoides: A Clinical and Histopathology Analysis in 9 Children

BACKGROUND

Hypopigmented mycosis fungoides (HMF) is an uncommon variant of mycosis fungoides.

AIMS

To study the clinical and histopathology presentation in children with HMF.

METHOD

We reviewed 9 children diagnosed with HMF. The clinical data were collected and analyzed.

RESULT

Eight boys and 1 girl were included, with a median onset age of 7.4 year old and median age of diagnosis of 10.5 year old. Multiple hypopigmented patches were observed in all patients, and 5 patients exhibited multiple scaly erythema at the center of hypopigmented patches. Histopathology showed atypical lymphocytes with hyperchromatic, irregular, and cerebriform nuclei, infiltrated in the epidermis and dermis. Pautrier's microabscesses was noted in 6 of 9 patients, and papillary dermal fibroplasia was noted in 6 of 9 patients. CD8 predominance was detected in 4 of 6 patients. Four patients were simultaneously subjected to skin biopsy on hypopigmented patches and scaly erythema simultaneously. Compared with hypopigmented specimens, erythema biopsy detected deeper and denser infiltration of atypical lymphoid cells in 3 of 4 patients, higher CD4+/CD8+ ratio in 4 of 4 patients, more CD5 loss in 2 of 4 patients, and more CD7 loss in 2 of 4 patients. TCR gene monoclonal rearrangement was detected in 2 of 5 patients. Narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy was applied in 7 patients. One of 7 patients achieved complete response, and 6 of 7 patients achieved partial response. No recurrence was noted with the median follow-up period of 6 months.

CONCLUSION

HMF could occur in young patients, with indolent and benign course. HMF could gradually seem as scaly erythema based on hypopigmented patches. The histopathology indicated a more advanced stage of the scaly erythema lesions than hypopigmented patches.

Mycosis Fungoides and Its Relationship to Atopy, Serum Total IgE, and Eosinophil Counts

INTRODUCTION

A recent serologic study and reports of increased serum total IgE (IgE-t) and eosinophil counts have suggested that the prevalence of atopy is more common in patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) than previously recognized.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with clinicopathologic features that were diagnostic and/or consistent with MF and/or the presence or absence of an atopic disorder (eg, allergic rhinitis, asthma, eczematous dermatitis), which was determined by patient history, eosinophil counts, and serum IgE-t obtained at evaluation, were selected from a patient registry. The MF population was divided into those with atypical and typical clinical presentations. We performed matching of controls using age, sex, and race from the 2005 to 2006 National Health Education Survey.

RESULTS

A history of allergic rhinitis was recorded for 186 of 728 patients (25.5%) with typical MF and 71 of 229 patients (31%) with atypical MF. However, the prevalence of asthma and eczema was low. The IgE-t and eosinophil counts were higher for patients with typical MF than for controls and for patients with atopic diathesis than for patients without atopy. The IgE-t and eosinophil counts were higher for the patients with advanced-stage MF compared with those for the patients with less-advanced disease for both atopic and nonatopic cohorts. In the Cox model with age and clinical stage as covariates, a history of atopy, increased IgE-t, and blood eosinophilia (> 500 cells/mm3) did not correlate with overall survival.

CONCLUSION

The findings from the present study did not reveal a significant association of atopy in patients with MF. However, atopy is a factor in the increased IgE-t and eosinophil counts observed in MF. Another factor is related to the disease stage, including possibly the influence of cytokines secreted by T-helper type 2-polarized neoplastic cells.

The value of high-frequency ultrasonography in the differential diagnosis of early mycosis fungoides and inflammatory skin diseases: A case-control study

BACKGROUND

The clinical manifestations of early mycosis fungoides (eMF) are non-specific and similar to inflammatory skin diseases. High-frequency ultrasonography (HF-US) can show small structure of skin lesions and is helpful to provide information objectively.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A case-control study was designed in 62 patients with multiple erythemas and scales, including 18 eMF and 44 age-matched patients with eczema (EC) or psoriasis vulgaris (PsV). The most significant lesions were collected by 50 MHz HF-US. The assessment of ultrasound included epidermal morphology and thickness, infiltration depth, subepidermal low echogenic band (SLEB) boundary and thickness, internal echo, and number of linear acoustic shadows (LAS) behind the epidermis. The ultrasonic characteristics of eMF, EC, and PsV lesions were analyzed.

RESULTS

Epidermal thickness (P < .001, sensitivity 88.9%, specificity 75.0%) and SLEB thickness (P = 0.006, sensitivity 55.6%, specificity 90.9%) were useful for differential diagnosis of eMF and PsV/EC. When eMF was diagnosed by epidermal thickness < 0.2375 mm, the AUC was 0.845, which had the highest diagnostic efficacy among all ultrasound signs. In addition, compared with eMF and EC, the LAS number of PsV lesions was the highest and statistically significant.

CONCLUSION

The results showed that HF-US could provide some extra information in identification of eMF, EC, and PsV and has potential clinical value.

Sézary Syndrome: a clinico-pathological study of 9 cases

BACKGROUND

Sézary Syndrome (SS) is a rare and aggressive variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma characterized by erythroderma, generalized lymphadenopathy and atypical lymphocytes in peripheral blood. The aim of the study is to describe our experience with SS patients.

METHODS

Nine SS patients were retrospectively identified within 288 patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) followed from 1977 to 2017 in the Unit of Dermatology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy.

RESULTS

Nine SS patients were described: 5 males and 4 females, mean age at diagnosis 66.1 years (49-87 y), overall survival (OS) after SS diagnosis was 2.6 years (31.5 ms). All the patients showed erythroderma, pruritus and lymphadenopathy. Palmo-plantar hyperkeratosis, nail lesions, alopecia and ectropion were also present. One patient was excluded for significative differences in management. Three lines treatment -extracorporeal photopheresis plus immunomodulator/s plus photo-photochemotherapy- was the most used first-line option for induction of remission, reached in 4 patients out of 8: 3 with Complete Remission (CR), 1 with Partial Remission (PR). Prognostic variables were investigated by univariate analysis: hypereosinophilia, highly elevated β<inf>2</inf>µglobulin >3500 µg/L, male sex and highly elevated LDH>450 U/L resulted with statistical power.

CONCLUSIONS

The improved comprehension of SS pathogenesis is progressively increasing the still poor survival: 38.5 months (3.2 years) considering only the 6 patients followed in the last five years, versus overall 31.5 months (2.6 years). The correct identification of SS patients remains determinant for the proper overall management. Among unfavorable prognostic markers, levels of β<inf>2</inf>µglobulin allow stratification of patients.

Utility of TRBC1 Expression in the Diagnosis of Peripheral Blood Involvement by Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

Peripheral blood involvement by cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is typically assessed by flow cytometry and plays a critical role in diagnosis, classification, and prognosis. Simplified strategies to detect tumor cells (Sezary cells) fail to exclude reactive subsets, whereas tumor-specific abnormalities are subtle and inconsistently present. We implemented a flow cytometric strategy to detect clonal Sezary cells based on the monotypic expression of one of two mutually exclusive TCR constant β chains, TRBC1 and TRBC2. Analysis of CD4⁺ T-cell subsets and TCR variable β classes from healthy donors showed polytypic TRBC1 staining. Clonal Sezary cells were identified by TRBC1 staining in 56 of 111 (50%) samples from patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, accounting for 7-18,155 cells/μl and including 13 cases (23%) lacking tumor-specific immunophenotypic abnormalities. CD4⁺ T-cell subsets from 86 patients without T-cell lymphoma showed polytypic TRBC1 staining, except for five patients (6%) with minute T-cell clones of uncertain significance accounting for 53-136 cells/μl. Assessment of TRBC1 expression within a comprehensive single-tube flow cytometry assay effectively overcomes interpretative uncertainties in the identification of Sezary cells without the need for a separate T-cell clonality assay.

European dermatology forum - updated guidelines on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis 2020 - part 1

Background

Following the first investigational study on the use of extracorporeal photopheresis for the treatment of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma published in 1983, this technology has received continued use and further recognition for additional earlier as well as refractory forms. After the publication of the first guidelines for this technology in the JEADV in 2014, this technology has maintained additional promise in the treatment of other severe and refractory conditions in a multi‐disciplinary setting. It has confirmed recognition in well‐known documented conditions such as graft‐versus‐host disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, systemic sclerosis, solid organ transplant rejection including lung, heart and liver and to a lesser extent inflammatory bowel disease.

Materials and methods

In order to further provide recognized expert practical guidelines for the use of this technology for all indications, the European Dermatology Forum (EDF) again proceeded to address these questions in the hands of the recognized experts within and outside the field of dermatology. This was done using the recognized and approved guidelines of EDF for this task. All authors had the opportunity to review each contribution as it was added.

Results and conclusion

These updated 2020 guidelines provide at present the most comprehensive available expert recommendations for the use of extracorporeal photopheresis based on the available published literature and expert consensus opinion. The guidelines are divided in two parts: PART I covers cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma, chronic graft‐versus‐host disease and acute graft‐versus‐host disease while PART II will cover scleroderma, solid organ transplantation, Crohn's disease, use of ECP in paediatrics practice, atopic dermatitis, type 1 diabetes, pemphigus, epidermolysis bullosa acquisita and erosive oral lichen planus.

Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomas

Simple Summary

Advanced-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are aggressive diseases with frequent disease relapses and a reduced overall survival. Most treatment regimens fail to induce long-term remissions. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has been associated with treatment-free long-term remissions and holds a potential for cure in this disease but is associated with frequent complications, mostly linked to the development of graft-versus-host disease and infections. Herein, we review the current evidence supporting the use of allogeneic stem cell transplantation in advanced-stage cutaneous T-cell lymphomas.

Abstract

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are non-Hodgkin lymphomas that develop primarily in the skin. They account for almost 80% of primary cutaneous lymphomas. Epidermotropic CTCLs (mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS)) are the most common form of CTCL. The course of the disease ranges from an indolent clinical behavior in early-stage disease to an aggressive evolution in the advanced stages. Advanced-stage disease is defined by the presence of tumors, erythroderma, or significant blood, nodal or visceral involvement. Advanced-stage disease is characterized by frequent disease relapses, refractory disease, a severely impaired quality of life and reduced overall survival. In the last twenty-five years, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has led to prolonged remissions in advanced CTCL, presumably linked to a graft-versus-lymphoma effect and is thus emerging as a potential cure of the disease. However, the high post-transplant relapse rate and severe morbidity and mortality associated with graft-versus-host disease and infections are important issues. Allogeneic HSCT is thus mostly considered in young patients with no comorbidities and an aggressive, advanced-stage CTCL. Allogeneic HSCT gives the best results in patients with a pre-transplant complete remission of the lymphoma. For this reason, one of the challenges is to define the best time to consider allogeneic HSCT in the disease course. Early identification of patients at high risk for progression is important to identify candidates who may benefit from allogeneic HSCT before their disease becomes treatment-refractory. This review describes the role of allogeneic HSCT in CTCL, summarizes the published data and future perspectives in this area.

Value of High-Frequency Ultrasound in Accurate Staging of Mycosis Fungoides/Sézary Syndrome

OBJECTIVES

This study was aimed to assess the ultrasound (US) characteristics of mycosis fungoides (MF)/Sézary syndrome (SS) and explore the value of high-frequency US in accuracy staging for classic mycosis fungoides (cMF).

METHODS

A prospective study was designed. Twenty-six patients with histopathologically confirmed MF or SS were enrolled to undergo HF-US examinations. Both 50- and 20-MHz US images of the most prominent lesion of each patient were collected by a cutaneous diagnostic US system, and the US characteristics in different stages were analyzed by 2 physicians independently. The Fisher exact test was used for the statistical analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 26 patients underwent this study, including 23 with cMF, 2 with folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (FMF), and 1 with SS. Among cMF, 16 patients with patches or plaques (the early-stage group) showed a subepidermal low-echogenic band, and only 3 lesions in the plaque stage partially extended to the superficial dermis. Seven patients with tumors (the advanced-stage group) showed lesions that infiltrated to the deep dermis or subcutaneous tissue. The infiltration depth (P < .001), clarity of the boundary (P = .002), and homogeneity of internal echoes (P = .001) were significantly different between the early and advanced stages. Additionally, the 2 FMF lesions and 1 SS lesion had characteristic manifestations, showing a well-defined subepidermal low-echogenic band with patchy hypoechoic regions around the hair follicles in the dermis.

CONCLUSIONS

High-frequency US can be used to accurately detect the infiltration depth and morphologic features of MF/SS lesions and provide important information for tumor staging of cMF. Additionally, the characteristic US features in FMF and SS might be helpful for diagnosis.

Reduction of T Lymphoma Cells and Immunological Invigoration in a Patient Concurrently Affected by Melanoma and Sezary Syndrome Treated With Nivolumab

Despite the recent availability of several new drugs in hemato-oncology, T-cell lymphomas are still incurable and PD-1 blockade could represent a therapeutic chance for selected patients affected by these malignancies, although further studies are required to understand the biological effects of anti-PD-1 mAbs on neoplastic T-cells and to identify biomarkers for predicting and/or monitoring patients’ response to therapy. Sezary Syndrome (SS) represents a rare and aggressive variant of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) with a life expectancy of less than 5 years, characterized by the co-presence of neoplastic lymphocytes mainly in the blood, lymph nodes and skin. In this study we analyzed longitudinal blood samples and lesional skin biopsies of a patient concurrently affected by SS and melanoma who underwent 22 nivolumab administrations. In blood, we observed a progressive reduction of SS cell number and a raise in the percentage of normal CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and NK cells over total leukocytes. Eight weeks from the start of nivolumab, these immune cell subsets showed an increase of Ki67 proliferation index that positively correlated with their PD-1 expression. Conversely, SS cells displayed a strong reduction of Ki67 positivity despite their high PD-1 expression. On skin biopsies we observed a marked reduction of SS cells which were no more detectable at the end of therapy. We also found an increase in the percentage of normal CD4+ T cells with a concomitant decrease of that of CD8+ and CD4+ CD8+ T cells, two cell subsets that, however, acquired a cytotoxic phenotype. In summary, our study demonstrated that nivolumab marked reduced SS tumor burden and invigorated immune responses in our patient. Our data also suggest, for the first time, that Ki67 expression in circulating neoplastic and immune cell subsets, as well as an enrichment in T cells with a cytotoxic phenotype in lesional skin could be valuable markers to assess early on treatment SS patients’ response to PD-1 blockade, a therapeutic strategy under clinical investigation in CTCL (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03385226, NCT04118868).

Independent evolution of cutaneous lymphoma subclones in different microenvironments of the skin

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Lesions of MF are formed by hematogenous seeding the skin with polyclonal (clonotypically diverse) neoplastic T-cells which accumulate numerous mutations and display a high degree of mutational, intratumoral heterogeneity (ITH). A characteristic but poorly studied feature of MF is epidermotropism, the tendency to infiltrate skin epithelial layer (epidermis) in addition to the vascularized dermis. By sequencing the exomes of the microdissected clusters of lymphoma cells from the epidermis and the dermis, we found that those microenvironments comprised different malignant clonotypes. Subclonal structure witnessed the independent mutational evolution in the epidermis and dermis. Thus, the epidermal involvement in MF could not be explained by gradual infiltration from the dermis but was caused by a separate seeding process followed by a quasi-neutral, branched evolution. In conclusion, tissue microenvironments shape the subclonal architecture in MF leading to “ecological heterogeneity” which contributes to the total ITH. Since ITH adversely affects cancer prognosis, targeting the microenvironment may present therapeutic opportunities in MF and other cancers.

How do we treat cutaneous T-cell lymphoma?

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of non-Hodgkin lymphomas which are based on the malignant proliferation of skin-related T lymphocytes. The clinical appearance, as well as the course and the associated therapeutic approach, are sometimes very different between the different subtypes. Since allogeneic stem cell transplantation is currently the only curative option, and the morbidity and mortality are not insignificant, a therapy concept should be developed that considers its often rather indolent but chronic course. This concept should enable a good disease control with as few side effects as possible and preserve or improve the quality of life. In the early stages of the disease, skin-oriented therapies are generally used first before systemic and increasingly aggressive therapeutic agents are used as the disease progresses. Considering the current guidelines, literature and subjective experience, we summarize in this review how we treat cutaneous T-cell lymphomas.

Gene Expression Comparison between Sézary Syndrome and Lymphocytic-Variant Hypereosinophilic Syndrome Refines Biomarkers for Sézary Syndrome

Sézary syndrome (SS), an aggressive cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) with poor prognosis, is characterized by the clinical hallmarks of circulating malignant T cells, erythroderma and lymphadenopathy. However, highly variable clinical skin manifestations and similarities with benign mimickers can lead to significant diagnostic delay and inappropriate therapy that can lead to disease progression and mortality. SS has been the focus of numerous transcriptomic-profiling studies to identify sensitive and specific diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Benign inflammatory disease controls (e.g., psoriasis, atopic dermatitis) have served to identify chronic inflammatory phenotypes in gene expression profiles, but provide limited insight into the lymphoproliferative and oncogenic roles of abnormal gene expression in SS. This perspective was recently clarified by a transcriptome meta-analysis comparing SS and lymphocytic-variant hypereosinophilic syndrome, a benign yet often clonal T-cell lymphoproliferation, with clinical features similar to SS. Here we review the rationale for selecting lymphocytic-variant hypereosinophilic syndrome (L-HES) as a disease control for SS, and discuss differentially expressed genes that may distinguish benign from malignant lymphoproliferative phenotypes, including additional context from prior gene expression studies to improve understanding of genes important in SS.

Differential SATB1 Expression Reveals Heterogeneity of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

SATB1 is an important T-cell specific chromatin organizer in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, whereas its expression and function in mycosis fungoides (MF) remain ambiguous. Our study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological significance of SATB1 in a cohort of 170 patients with MF. SATB1 expression was heterogeneous among the patients with MF in each clinical stage. High SATB1 expression was associated with epidermal hyperplasia, eosinophil infiltration, less large-cell transformation, and favorable prognosis in MF cases. SATB1 and CD30 coexpression distinguished cutaneous CD30⁺ lymphoproliferative disorders from MF large-cell transformation. SATB1 silencing in MF lines showed that SATB1 upregulated the genes involved in eosinophil recruitment, including signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and IL13, and downregulated the genes in cell-cycle progression, which may explain the inferior prognosis for low SATB1-expressing cases. Moreover, SATB1 was inversely correlated with PD-1 expression, indicating an exhausted status of SATB1-negative malignant T cells. SATB1 was positively correlated with toll-like receptors expression, suggesting innate immune activation in high SATB1-expressing MF cases. Therefore, variable SATB1 expression promotes heterogeneity in pathology and clinical outcome of patients with MF.

Survival prediction model for patients with mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome

Aim: A nomogram was constructed to forecast the overall survival (OS) of patients with mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome. Patients & methods: The clinicopathological information of patients was obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. A model was established based on the independent prognostic factors. Predictive ability of the model was evaluated with the concordance index and calibration curves. Risk stratification was conducted for patients with similar tumor node metastasis (TNM) stages. Results: The model included 1997 eligible patients and seven prognostic factors for OS. The concordance index of the nomogram was 0.84 in the training and external validation cohorts, which indicated good predictive ability of the model and reliability of the results. The high agreement between the model predictions and actual observations was identified by calibration curves, which demonstrated the prediction accuracy of the model. Risk stratification displayed significant differences for patients with similar TNM stages, which suggested that the OS of patients with similar TNM stages could be further distinguished. Conclusion: We established a reliable nomogram to predict the OS of patients with mycosis fungoides/Sezary syndrome, which highlighted the advantages of nomograms over the conventional TNM staging system and promoted the application of individualized therapeutic strategies.

Cutavirus DNA in Malignant and Nonmalignant Skin of Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma and Organ Transplant Patients but Not of Healthy Adults

BACKGROUND

Three new parvoviruses of Protoparvovirus genus, bufavirus (BuV), tusavirus (TuV), and cutavirus (CuV), have recently been discovered in diarrheal stools. CuV was further detected in a proportion of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL)/mycosis fungoides skin samples and in one melanoma.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

With novel multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction and antibody assays, we studied 3 patient groups for BuV, TuV, and CuV DNA and immunoglobulin G (IgG): CTCL patients, immunosuppressed solid-organ transplant recipients, and immunocompetent healthy adults.

RESULTS

CuV DNA was detected in skin biopsies of 4/25 (16.0%) CTCL and 4/136 (2.9%) transplant patients but not in any of 159 skin samples of 98 healthy adults. The dermal CuV-DNA prevalence was significantly higher in CTCL patients than in the other subjects. CuV DNA was further detected in healthy skin of 4 organ transplant recipients, 2 of whom also had CuV-positive skin carcinomas. One CTCL patient harbored CuV DNA in both malignant (CTCL, melanoma) and nonmalignant skin and sentinel lymph nodes but not in his prostate. The CuV IgG seroprevalences were among CTCL patients 9.5% (4/42), transplant recipients 6.5% (8/124), and healthy adults 3.8% (3/78). BuV and TuV DNAs were absent and antibodies infrequent in all cohorts. Parvoviral antibodies were shown to persist for ≥20 years and dermal CuV DNA for 4 years. All 3 CuV-DNA-positive patients, with both biopsies and sera available, were CuV-IgG positive.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that dermal CuV DNA carriage is associated with CTCL. Any putative roles of CuV in the carcinogenesis must be determined in forthcoming studies.

Long-Term Disease Control After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in Primary Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma; Results From a Single Institution Analysis

Background: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) has been proposed as curative approach for advanced cutaneous T–cell lymphomas (CTCL). Currently, there is no established consensus for the management of disease relapse after alloHSCT.

Results: Ten patients, previously treated with multiple lines of systemic treatment, received alloHSCT. Six patients had achieved partial response (PR, N = 5) and complete response (CR, N = 1) prior to HSCT. Post—HSCT, seven patients (N = 7) relapsed after a median time of 3.3 months (0.5–7.4 months) and were subsequently treated with radiotherapy (RT, N = 1), RT and adoptive T-cell transfer with EBV specific cells (N = 1), R-CHOP (N = 1) and interferon alpha−2a combined either with donor lymphocyte infusion (N = 1) or with brentuximab—vedotin (N = 1). One patient (N = 1) achieved PR only after reducing the immunosuppression. Two patients relapsed again and received interferon alpha−2a and brentuximab—vedotin, respectively. After a median follow-up time of 12.6 months (3.5–73.7 months) six patients were alive (60%) and four had deceased, three (N = 3) due to CTCL and one (N = 1) due to GVHD.

Conclusion: Disease relapse after alloHSCT can be controlled with available treatments. For most patients who ultimately relapsed, reduction of immunosuppression and interferon alpha−2a either administered alone or in combination with another systemic agent were preferred. Although interferon alpha−2a, similarly to immunosuppression reduction, may be beneficial for the achievement of graft–vs.–lymphoma effect, the risk of simultaneous worsening of GVHD must be carefully evaluated and taken into consideration.

CLINICAL CASE OF CUTANEOUS T-CELL LYMPHOMA IN A PATIENT WHO GOT INJURED AFTER THE DISASTER ON CHORNOBYL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT

A clinical case of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is presented in this paper - Mycosis fungoides, a tumorous stage that developed in a patient who suffered as a result of the Chornobyl accident. The most likely development of this di- sease is due to the influence of the radiation factor, which led to the affection of lymphoid cells. This disease has characteristic staging with a typical morphological pattern only in later stages, therefore, the diagnosis usually occurs in evident clinical and histological changes of the mycotic and tumorous stages, when treatment is ineffec- tive. The features of the disease and treatment are described.

Clonotypic heterogeneity in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides) revealed by comprehensive whole-exome sequencing

Mycosis fungoides (MF), the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, is believed to represent a clonal expansion of a transformed skin-resident memory T cell. T-cell receptor (TCR) clonality (ie, identical sequences of rearranged TCRα, TCRβ, and TCRγ), the key premise of this hypothesis, has been difficult to document conclusively because malignant cells are not readily distinguishable from the tumor-infiltrating reactive lymphocytes that contribute to the TCR clonotypic repertoire of MF. Here, we have successfully adopted targeted whole-exome sequencing (WES) to identify the repertoire of rearranged TCR genes in tumor-enriched samples from patients with MF. Although some of the investigated MF biopsies had the expected frequency of monoclonal rearrangements of TCRγ corresponding to that of tumor cells, the majority of the samples presented multiple TCRγ, TCRα, and TCRβ clonotypes by WES. Our findings are compatible with the model in which the initial malignant transformation in MF does not occur in mature memory T cells but rather at the level of T-lymphocyte progenitors before TCRβ or TCRα rearrangements. We have also shown that WES can be combined with whole-transcriptome sequencing in the same sample, which enables comprehensive characterization of the TCR repertoire in relation to tumor content. WES/whole-transcriptome sequencing might be applicable to other types of T-cell lymphomas to determine clonal dominance and clonotypic heterogeneity in these malignancies.

Impressive Continuous Complete Response after Mogamulizumab in a Heavily Pretreated Sézary Syndrome Patient

Background

Sézary syndrome (SS) is a rare lymphoproliferative neoplasm, almost incurable outside the setting of allogeneic transplantable patients. The prognosis for relapsed/refractory patients remains poor, as the available drugs confer short-lasting remission. In this setting, the anti-chemokine receptor type 4 (CCR4) monoclonal antibody mogamulizumab demonstrated efficacy in an international, open-label, randomized controlled phase 3 trial (MAVORIC) versus vorinostat.

Case description

A heavily pretreated 57-year-old SS woman (stage IVA) was randomized in the mogamulizumab arm of MAVORIC at our Institution. She quickly achieved a response, but after 30 cycles, she was discontinued from therapy due to cutaneous toxicity. Nevertheless, she is still in complete response (CR).

Conclusions

mogamulizumab is an anti-CCR4 monoclonal antibody that can induce long-lasting response also in very heavily pretreated patients not responding to any previous treatment. The extraordinary characteristic of our patient is that she is still in CR after 2.5 years since treatment discontinuation.

Determination of immunophenotypic aberrancies provides better assessment of peripheral blood involvement by mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome than quantification of CD26- or CD7- CD4+ T-cells

BACKGROUND

Blood involvement by mycosis fungoides (MF)/Sézary syndrome (SS) influences prognosis and therapeutic decisions. MF/SS blood stage is currently determined by absolute CD4 + CD26- or CD4 + CD7-cell counts, which quantification method may overestimate MF/SS by including CD26- or CD7- normal CD4+ T-cells, or underestimate disease burden when MF/SS cells show incomplete loss of CD26 and/or CD7. Recently, through the standardization effort led by the International Clinical Cytometry Society (ICCS), recommendation was made to quantify MF/SS by enumerating immunophenotypically aberrant CD4+ T-cells, rather than CD26- or CD7- in isolation.

METHODS

We compared these two quantitation methods in 309 MF/SS patients who had blood samples analyzed by flow cytometry immunophenotyping (FCI) over a 1-year period.

RESULTS

Using the European Organization of Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC)/International Society for Cutaneous Lymphomas (ISCL) criteria, 221 (71.5%) patients had a blood stage corresponding to B0, 57 (18.4%) to B1, and 31 (10%) to B2. By FCI analysis, a total of 62 patients (20.0%) were found positive for MF/SS. Among EORTC B0 patients, 11/221 (5%) were positive by FCI (false negatives), and among EORTC Stage B1 patients, 35/57 (61%) were negative by FCI (false positives). Regarding patients positive for MF/SS cells by FCI, there was an overall excellent correlation (r = .999, p < .001) between the EORTC/ISCL method and FCI method; however, four (6.5%) patients would have an altered B stage between B0 and B1.

CONCLUSION

The MF/SS cell quantification method using immunophenotypic aberrancies, as recommended by the ICCS, allows to distinguish MF/SS cells from background benign T-cells and enables for more accurate staging, especially among patients currently being considered to have B0 and B1 stage diseases.

Mapping signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) activity in different stages of mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome

BACKGROUND

Deregulation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling is known to participate in the pathogenesis of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs). However, published results regarding STAT expression in different stages of CTCLs are conflicting. The aim of the study was to define the pattern of STAT expression in skin and detect any differences between pruritic and nonpruritic patients but also different stages of disease.

METHODS

Thirty-nine skin biopsies from CTCL patients and 24 biopsies from healthy volunteers were taken. Immunohistochemical staining for STAT 3, 5a, 5b, and 6 was performed in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sections of mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS) specimens.

RESULTS

We found increased expression of STAT proteins in CTCL: MF and SS skin in comparison to the control group. STAT5 but also STAT6 and to a lesser extent STAT3 seems to be constitutively activated in MF and SS. Moreover, also downregulation of STAT5b protein in advanced-stage CTCL appears to contribute to its pathogenesis. There were no significant associations between expression of STATs and pruritus severity.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results confirm the possible pathogenetic role of STATs in CTCL. STATs seem to be a promising target for new effective therapeutic agents in CTCL.

Interventions for mycosis fungoides

BACKGROUND

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, a malignant, chronic disease initially affecting the skin. Several therapies are available, which may induce clinical remission for a time. This is an update of a Cochrane Review first published in 2012: we wanted to assess new trials, some of which investigated new interventions.

OBJECTIVES

To assess the effects of interventions for MF in all stages of the disease.

SEARCH METHODS

We updated our searches of the following databases to May 2019: the Cochrane Skin Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, and LILACS. We searched 2 trials registries for additional references. For adverse event outcomes, we undertook separate searches in MEDLINE in April, July and November 2017.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of local or systemic interventions for MF in adults with any stage of the disease compared with either another local or systemic intervention or with placebo.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. The primary outcomes were improvement in health-related quality of life as defined by participants, and common adverse effects of the treatments. Key secondary outcomes were complete response (CR), defined as complete disappearance of all clinical evidence of disease, and objective response rate (ORR), defined as proportion of patients with a partial or complete response. We used GRADE to assess the certainty of evidence and considered comparisons of psoralen plus ultraviolet A (PUVA) light treatment as most important because this is first-line treatment for MF in most guidelines.

MAIN RESULTS

This review includes 20 RCTs (1369 participants) covering a wide range of interventions. The following were assessed as either treatments or comparators: imiquimod, peldesine, hypericin, mechlorethamine, nitrogen mustard and intralesional injections of interferon-α (IFN-α) (topical applications); PUVA, extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP: photochemotherapy), and visible light (light applications); acitretin, bexarotene, lenalidomide, methotrexate and vorinostat (oral agents); brentuximab vedotin; denileukin diftitox; mogamulizumab; chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, etoposide, and vincristine; a combination of chemotherapy with electron beam radiation; subcutaneous injection of IFN-α; and intramuscular injections of active transfer factor (parenteral systemics). Thirteen trials used an active comparator, five were placebo-controlled, and two compared an active operator to observation only. In 14 trials, participants had MF in clinical stages IA to IIB. All participants were treated in secondary and tertiary care settings, mainly in Europe, North America or Australia. Trials recruited both men and women, with more male participants overall. Trial duration varied from four weeks to 12 months, with one longer-term study lasting more than six years. We judged 16 trials as at high risk of bias in at least one domain, most commonly performance bias (blinding of participants and investigators), attrition bias and reporting bias. None of our key comparisons measured quality of life, and the two studies that did presented no usable data. Eighteen studies reported common adverse effects of the treatments. Adverse effects ranged from mild symptoms to lethal complications depending upon the treatment type. More aggressive treatments like systemic chemotherapy generally resulted in more severe adverse effects. In the included studies, CR rates ranged from 0% to 83% (median 31%), and ORR ranged from 0% to 88% (median 47%). Five trials assessed PUVA treatment, alone or combined, summarised below. There may be little to no difference between intralesional IFN-α and PUVA compared with PUVA alone for 24 to 52 weeks in CR (risk ratio (RR) 1.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87 to 1.31; 2 trials; 122 participants; low-certainty evidence). Common adverse events and ORR were not measured. One small cross-over trial found once-monthly ECP for six months may be less effective than twice-weekly PUVA for three months, reporting CR in two of eight participants and ORR in six of eight participants after PUVA, compared with no CR or ORR after ECP (very low-certainty evidence). Some participants reported mild nausea after PUVA but no numerical data were given. One participant in the ECP group withdrew due to hypotension. However, we are unsure of the results due to very low-certainty evidence. One trial comparing bexarotene plus PUVA versus PUVA alone for up to 16 weeks reported one case of photosensitivity in the bexarotene plus PUVA group compared to none in the PUVA-alone group (87 participants; low-certainty evidence). There may be little to no difference between bexarotene plus PUVA and PUVA alone in CR (RR 1.41, 95% CI 0.71 to 2.80) and ORR (RR 0.94, 95% CI 0.61 to 1.44) (93 participants; low-certainty evidence). One trial comparing subcutaneous IFN-α injections combined with either acitretin or PUVA for up to 48 weeks or until CR indicated there may be little to no difference in the common IFN-α adverse effect of flu-like symptoms (RR 1.32, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.88; 82 participants). There may be lower CR with IFN-α and acitretin compared with IFN-α and PUVA (RR 0.54, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.84; 82 participants) (both outcomes: low-certainty evidence). This trial did not measure ORR. One trial comparing PUVA maintenance treatment to no maintenance treatment, in participants who had already had CR, did report common adverse effects. However, the distribution was not evaluable. CR and OR were not assessable. The range of treatment options meant that rare adverse effects consequently occurred in a variety of organs.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

​​There is a lack of high-certainty evidence to support decision making in the treatment of MF. Because of substantial heterogeneity in design, missing data, small sample sizes, and low methodological quality, the comparative safety and efficacy of these interventions cannot be reliably established on the basis of the included RCTs. PUVA is commonly recommended as first-line treatment for MF, and we did not find evidence to challenge this recommendation. There was an absence of evidence to support the use of intralesional IFN-α or bexarotene in people receiving PUVA and an absence of evidence to support the use of acitretin or ECP for treating MF. Future trials should compare the safety and efficacy of treatments to PUVA, as the current standard of care, and should measure quality of life and common adverse effects.

Suppressed microRNA-195-5p expression in mycosis fungoides promotes tumor cell proliferation

BACKGROUND

Several cancers, including mycosis fungoides (MF), have reported dysregulation of miR-195-5p. miR-195-5p plays a role in cell cycle regulation in several malignant diseases.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate: (a) the expression level of miR-195-5p in lesional MF skin biopsies and (b) the potential regulatory roles of miR-195-5p in MF.

METHODS

Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to determine miR-195-5p expression in MF skin biopsies and cell lines. The effect of miR-195-5p and ADP-ribosylation factor-like protein 2 (ARL2) on cell cycle and apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry assays. Changes in ARL2 expression were determined by RT-qPCR and Western blotting (WB).

RESULTS

We found lower expression levels of miR-195-5p in lesional skin from MF patients compared with non-lesional MF skin and skin from healthy volunteers. Additionally, miR-195-5p showed lower expression levels in the skin from patients with disease progression compared with patients with stable disease. In vitro studies showed that overexpression of miR-195-5p induced a cell cycle arrest in G0G1. Using microarray analysis, we identified several genes that were regulated after miR-195-5p overexpression. The most downregulated gene after miR-195-5p mimic transfection was ARL2. RT-qPCR and WB analyses confirmed downregulation of ARL2 following transfection with miR-195-5p mimic. Lastly, transfection with siRNA against ARL2 also induced a G0G1 arrest.

CONCLUSION

Upregulation of miR-195-5p in MF inhibits cycle arrest by downregulation of ARL2. miR-195-5p may thus function as a tumor suppressor in MF and low miR-195-5p expression in lesional MF skin may promote disease progression.

Systemic chemotherapy promotes HIF-1α-mediated glycolysis and IL-17F pathways in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

BACKGROUND

Systemic chemotherapy is often the last resort of advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Tumor recurrence and adverse effects of systemic chemotherapy are the main limitations.

OBJECTIVE

We aim to investigate the metabolic alterations in tumor cells after CHOP (cyclophosphamide, hydroxydaunorubicin, oncovin and prednisone) chemotherapy.

METHODS AND RESULTS

In advanced CTCL, CHOP chemotherapy has no survival benefit and the duration of response is significantly inferior to other canonical treatments. HIF-1α is significantly elevated in lesions of advanced MF patients as well as tumor cell line Hut78 and tumor xenograft mice model. CHOP therapy also increased glycolytic activities in a HIF-1α-dependent manner. In CTCL xenograft tumor mice model, lesional cells showed a significant increase in IL-17F after chemotherapy, shifting toward a Th17 phenotype, which process is also regulated by HIF-1α. Echinomycin, HIF-1α inhibitor, was co-administered in xenograft tumor mouse models with CHOP and showed a significant reduction in tumor growth.

CONCLUSION

CHOP chemotherapy promotes glycolysis and IL-17 pathways in a HIF-1α-dependent fashion. Furthermore, HIF-1α blockade is promising as an accompanying agent in systemic chemotherapy for patients with advanced CTCL.

Erythroderma: a prospective study of 309 patients followed for 12 years in a tertiary center

Erythroderma is characterized by erythema and scaling affecting more than 80% of the body surface area. It is potentially life-threatening, and diagnosis of the underlying disease is a challenge. Despite laboratory improvements, many cases remain idiopathic. We aimed to analyze clinical and laboratory findings of 309 erythrodermic patients to find clues to the etiologic diagnosis. We performed a prospective study at the University of São Paulo Medical School, from 2007 to 2018, with patients with acquired erythroderma. Clinical, laboratory, histology, and molecular biology data were collected. The median age at diagnosis was 57 years, with a male-to-female ratio of 2.2. Eczema was the most frequent etiology (20.7%), followed by psoriasis (16.8%), Sézary syndrome (12.3%), drug eruption (12.3%), atopic dermatitis (8.7%), and mycosis fungoides (5.5%). Other diagnoses (6.8%) included pemphigus foliaceous, paraneoplastic erythroderma, adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma, dermatomyositis, pityriasis rubra pilaris, lichen planus, bullous pemphigoid, and leprosy. In 52 patients (16.8%), it was not possible to elucidate erythroderma etiology. Atopic dermatitis developed erythroderma at an earlier age (median 25 years; P = 0.0001). Acute onset was associated with drug reactions and atopic dermatitis (median time from erythroderma to diagnosis of 1 and 1.5 months, respectively; P = 0.0001). Higher immunoglobulin E levels were observed in atopic dermatitis (median 24,600 U/L; P = 0.0001). Histopathology was helpful and was consistent with the final diagnosis in 72.4%. Monoclonal T-cell proliferation in the skin was observed in mycosis fungoides (33.3%) and Sézary syndrome (90.9%). At the last assessment, 211 patients (69.3%) were alive with disease, 65 (21.7%) were alive without disease, and 27 (9.1%) died with active disease. Erythroderma is a challenging syndrome with a difficult diagnostic approach. Younger age and higher immunoglobulin E levels are associated with atopic dermatitis; acute onset is observed in drug eruptions and atopic dermatitis. Histopathology and molecular biology tests are essential tools in the investigation of erythroderma.

Sézary syndrome and mycosis fungoides: An overview, including the role of immunophenotyping

This review discusses the definition and major categories of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, Sézary syndrome and mycosis fungoides, and the role of immunophenotyping in their diagnosis. The following key points are raised: (a) Sézary syndrome and mycosis fungoides cells most often have a characteristic CD3+ CD4+ CD7- and/or CD26- immunophenotype. (b) This immunophenotype is not specific, but can assist in the distinction from non-neoplastic T cells and other subtypes of mature T-cell neoplasm. (c) However, small subsets of normal and reactive T-cells can have an overlapping immunophenotype, and can be distinguished by evaluating for additional changes in antigen expression.

Low dose total skin electron beam therapy for the management of T cell cutaneous lymphomas

Mycosis fungoides (MF) represent the most common type of primary cutaneous lymphomas. Total skin electron beam (TSEB) therapy to a total skin administered dose of 36 Gy represents a very effective treatment regimen and its role in the management of MF is well established. Unfortunately, the issue in MF is that despite the proved effectiveness of radiation therapy, disease regress, and the main goal of TSEB treatment seems to be the prolongation of the overall response duration time. Taking into consideration the high radio-sensitivity of the disease, lower radiation doses have been tested with acceptable and comparable results. We prospectively analyzed low dose TSEB in 14 patients treated at ATTIKON University Hospital from 2011 to 2017. After a median duration of follow up time of 39 months we found that low dose TSEB is an effective treatment option, since therapeutic results are more than acceptable, with minimal toxicity. The fact that it can be repeated safely in the natural course of a "regressive" disease makes it more attractive than the standard full dose scheme of 36 Gy.

Is it mycosis fungoides? A comprehensive guide to reaching the diagnosis and avoiding common pitfalls

Mycosis Fungoides (MF) is known as 'the great mimicker' due to its capacity to emulate several dermatoses, both in the clinic and on histology. This often leads to the diagnosis being missed or delayed, which consequently leads to poorer prognosis. For a timely diagnosis, it is crucial that the physician is aware of the various clinical and histological presentations of MF, as well as the proper diagnostic protocols. In the current review, we concisely encapsulate all the variants of MF as well has the conditions it mimics clinically and histologically. Through this, we aim to provide clinicians with a holistic picture of MF and help them determine when to suspect this disease and steps to take in order to nail the diagnosis.

Clinical, histopathologic, and immunoarchitectural features of dermatopathic lymphadenopathy: an update

Dermatopathic lymphadenopathy is a distinctive form of paracortical lymph node hyperplasia that usually occurs in the setting of chronic dermatologic disorders. The aim of this study is to update our understanding of the clinicopathologic and immunophenotypic features of dermatopathic lymphadenopathy. The study cohort was 50 lymph node samples from 42 patients diagnosed with dermatopathic lymphadenopathy. The patients included 29 women and 13 men with a median age of 49 years (range, 12-79). Twenty-two (52%) patients had a dermatologic disorder, including mycosis fungoides (n = 6), chronic inflammatory dermatoses (n = 13), melanoma (n = 1), squamous cell carcinoma (n = 1), and Kaposi sarcoma in the context of human immunodeficiency virus infection (n = 1). Twenty (48%) patients did not have dermatologic manifestations. Lymph node biopsy specimens were axillary (n = 22), inguinal (n = 21), cervical (n = 4), and intramammary (n = 3). All lymph nodes showed paracortical areas expanded by lymphocytes; dendritic cells, including interdigitating dendritic cells and Langerhans cells; and macrophages. Melanophages were detected in 48 (98%) lymph nodes. Immunohistochemical analysis provided results that are somewhat different from those previously reported in the literature. In the paracortical areas of lymph node, S100 protein was expressed in virtually all dendritic cells, and CD1a was expressed in a significantly greater percentage of cells than langerin (80 vs. 35%, p < 0.0001). These results suggest that the paracortical regions of dermatopathic lymphadenopathy harbor at least three immunophenotypic subsets of dendritic cells: Langerhans cells (S100⁺, CD1a^+(high), langerin⁺), interdigitating dendritic cells (S100⁺, CD1a^+(low), langerin^-), and a third (S100⁺, CD1a^-, langerin^-) minor population of dendritic cells. Furthermore, in more than 60% of dermatopathic lymph nodes, langerin highlighted trabecular and medullary sinuses and cords, showing a linear and reticular staining pattern, which could be a pitfall in the differential diagnosis with Langerhans cell histiocytosis involving lymph nodes.

Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides: Clinical characteristics, treatments, and long-term outcomes of 53 patients in a tertiary hospital

Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (FMF) is characterized by a broad clinical spectrum and worse prognosis compared to classical MF. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics, treatment modalities and long-term outcome and risk factors for progression and survival of FMF patients. We conducted a single-center retrospective study and reviewed 53 patients diagnosed with FMF between 1990 to 2019 in a referral center at Ankara University, Turkey. Regarding to stage at diagnosis, 24 patients (45.3%) had advanced-stage disease (≥IIB). Follicular papules was observed in 66% and alopecia in 49.1% of the cases. Forty-three patients (81.1%) suffered from pruritus. The majority of the patients (92.4%) had at least one systemic therapy. Complete remission was achieved in 24.5% of the patients. The median time of overall survival (OS) was 50 months (range 9-324 months) and 5-year and 10-year OS was 83% and 69%, respectively. Twenty-eight (52.3%) patients progressed to more advanced stages and seven (13.2%) patients died due to MF during the follow-up period. FMF is associated with a progressive course and in most patients, skin-directed therapies were found to be inefficient to control the disease and multiple systemic therapeutic agents were required to control the disease.

Phototherapy for Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

Phototherapy with psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) or narrowband-UVB (NBUVB) is frequently used for the patch and plaque stages of mycosis fungoides (MF), the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. This article provides practical guidelines for the design and implementation of a phototherapy protocol for early stage MF, including an overview of treatment phases, response criteria, and considerations in the selection of a light source. Several evolving topics in phototherapy research are also discussed, including the relative efficacy of PUVA versus NBUVB, the role of maintenance therapy, risk of photocarcinogenicity, and combination therapies.

Current status of histone deacetylase inhibitors in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with a heterogenous presentation and highly variable disease course. The most common subtypes of CTCL are mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary Syndrome (SS). Treatment varies based on the stage of the disease with skin directed therapies typically utilized for early stage disease, and systemic therapies employed for more advanced disease. There are few highly effective treatments available, and systemic therapies have limited response rates. Histone deacetylase inhibitors have emerged as mainstream treatments for MF/SS over the past several years. Here, we discuss the mechanism of action of histone deacetylase inhibitors in relation to the pathogenesis of MF/SS, evaluate the clinical trials that led to Food and Drug Administration approval of two of the histone deacetylase inhibitors for MF/SS and describe the results for those still under investigation. Additionally, we discuss the potential for combination therapies in order to optimize outcomes of treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors.

Mycosis Fungoides and Sézary Syndrome: An Update

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are a heterogeneous collection of non-Hodgkin lymphomas that arise from skin-tropic memory T lymphocytes. Among them, mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) are the most common malignancies. Diagnosis requires the combination of clinical, pathologic, and molecular features. Significant advances have been made in understanding the genetic and epigenetic aberrations in SS and to some extent in MF. Several prognostic factors have been identified. The goal of treatment is to minimize morbidity and limit disease progression. However, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, considered for patients with advanced stages, is the only therapy with curative intent.

An Effective Convolutional Neural Network for Classifying Red Blood Cells in Malaria Diseases

Malaria is one of the epidemics that can cause human death. Accurate and rapid diagnosis of malaria is important for treatment. Due to the limited number of data and human factors, the prediction performance and reliability of traditional classification methods are often affected. In this study, we propose an efficient and novel classification network named Attentive Dense Circular Net (ADCN) which based on Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN). The ADCN is inspired by the ideas of residual and dense networks and combines with the attention mechanism. We train and evaluate our proposed model on a publicly available red blood cells (RBC) dataset and compare ADCN with several well-established CNN models. Compared to other best performing CNN model in our experiments, ADCN shows superiority in all performance criteria such as accuracy (97.47% vs 94.61%), sensitivity (97.86% vs 95.20%) and specificity (97.07% vs 92.87%). Finally, we discuss the obtained results and analyze the difficulties of RBCs classification.