Frequency and prognostic value of cutaneous molecular residual disease in mycosis fungoides: a prospective multicentre trial of the Cutaneous Lymphoma French Study Group

T-Cell Monoclonality in the Blood and the Skin Correlates With Poor Response to Treatment in Mycosis Fungoides

BACKGROUND

The prognostic value of skin and blood T-cell receptor clonality in mycosis fungoides is a matter of debate. Our aim was to ascertain the relation between the presence of a monoclonal T-cell population in the blood and in the skin with response to treatment in patients with mycosis fungoides.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Clinical features and follow-up data were retrospectively collected and analyzed in 94 patients with mycosis fungoides seen at a cutaneous lymphoma clinic in a single tertiary center. All patients had results of polymerase chain reaction analysis of T-cell receptor gamma gene rearrangement in lesional skin and in peripheral blood at time of diagnosis. Association of response to treatment with clonality in the tissue and in the blood was assessed.

RESULTS

T-cell monoclonality was detected in the skin in 30 of 94 patients, in the blood in 12 of 94 cases and the same clone was found in both tissues in 6 of 94 patients. The presence of a polyclonal T-cell population in the circulation was associated with complete response (P = .006). Lack of response to treatment (stable disease or progression of disease) was associated with T-cell clonality in skin (P = .009), in blood (P = .002) and in both tissues (P < .001). A multivariate analysis showed that T-cell monoclonality in the skin is independently associated with lack of response of mycosis fungoides to therapy.

CONCLUSION

Blood and skin should be studied for T-cell clonality as part of the routine initial workup, even in patients with early-stage disease.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas: 2023 update on diagnosis, risk-stratification, and management

DISEASE OVERVIEW

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are a heterogenous group of T-cell neoplasms involving the skin, the majority of which may be classified as Mycosis Fungoides (MF) or Sézary Syndrome (SS).

DIAGNOSIS

The diagnosis of MF or SS requires the integration of clinical and histopathologic data.

RISK-ADAPTED THERAPY

TNMB (tumor, node, metastasis, blood) staging remains the most important prognostic factor in MF/SS and forms the basis for a "risk-adapted," multidisciplinary approach to treatment. For patients with disease limited to the skin, expectant management or skin-directed therapies is preferred, as both disease-specific and overall survival for these patients is favorable. In contrast, patients with advanced-stage disease with significant nodal, visceral or the blood involvement are generally approached with systemic therapies, including biologic-response modifiers, histone deacetylase inhibitors, or antibody-based strategies, in an escalating fashion. In highly-selected patients, allogeneic stem-cell transplantation may be considered, as this may be curative in some patients.

Evolution of Dupilumab-Associated Cutaneous Atypical Lymphoid Infiltrates

BACKGROUND

Observations highlighting the "unmasking" of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma after treatment with dupilumab for atopic dermatitis (AD) have been recently reported. However, there remains a paucity of literature describing the evolution of clinical and histopathological features that characterizes this phenomenon.

OBJECTIVE

To define the clinical and histopathologic evolution of atypical lymphoid infiltrates after the administration of dupilumab for AD.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of clinical and histopathologic features in 7 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of "atypical lymphoid infiltrate" or mycosis fungoides (MF) on dupilumab for AD was performed.

RESULTS

Seven patients with atypical lymphoid infiltrates or MF in evolution after dupilumab therapy (age range 27-74 years) were reviewed. Average duration of AD before MF diagnosis was 5.7 years, and the average duration on dupilumab treatment was 9.8 months. Notable histopathologic features across predupilumab and postdupilumab biopsies included progressive increase in the densities of the atypical lymphoid infiltrates (7/7), presence of atypical epidermotropic lymphocytes (6/7), and papillary dermal fibrosis (6/7).

LIMITATIONS

Small retrospective cohort study.

CONCLUSION

These cases highlight the transformation of lymphoid infiltrates after dupilumab treatment for AD and emphasize the importance of clinical and histopathologic evaluation before and during treatment with dupilumab for treatment-refractory presumed AD.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas: 2021 update on diagnosis, risk-stratification, and management

DISEASE OVERVIEW

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are a heterogenous group of T-cell neoplasms involving the skin, the majority of which may be classified as Mycosis Fungoides (MF) or Sézary Syndrome (SS).

DIAGNOSIS

The diagnosis of MF or SS requires the integration of clinical and histopathologic data.

RISK-ADAPTED THERAPY

TNMB (tumor, node, metastasis, blood) staging remains the most important prognostic factor in MF/SS and forms the basis for a "risk-adapted," multi-disciplinary approach to treatment. For patients with disease limited to the skin, expectant management or skin-directed therapies is preferred, as both disease-specific and overall survival for these patients is favorable. In contrast, patients with advanced-stage disease with significant nodal, visceral or blood involvement are generally approached with systemic therapies, including biologic-response modifiers, histone deacetylase inhibitors, or antibody-based strategies, in an escalating fashion. In highly-selected patients, allogeneic stem-cell transplantation may be considered, as this may be curative in some patients.

Acneiform Presentations of Folliculotropic Mycosis Fungoides

BACKGROUND

Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (FMF) is a variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma that has clinical overlap with a variety of inflammatory follicular unit disorders. However, we describe distinctive presentations of FMF with acneiform features that can be diagnostically challenging, leading to diagnostic delay.

OBJECTIVE

To highlight the importance of histopathologic and immunohistochemical evaluation for diagnostic confirmation of presumed inflammatory follicular unit-based disorders that are unusual in presentation or unresponsive to standard therapies.

METHODS

A cross-sectional retrospective study of 5 consecutive patients with a histopathologic diagnosis of FMF was conducted. The clinical, histopathologic, immunophenotypic, and molecular genetic features of cases are presented.

RESULTS

We describe 5 patients with clinical and histopathologic presentations of FMF masquerading as hidradenitis suppurativa, furunculosis, or acne vulgaris (age range 34-66 years, 4:1 female to male). Clinical morphologies included open and closed comedones, inflammatory pustules, papules and nodules, follicular papules with keratotic plugging, cysts, and scarring involving the face, trunk, and intertriginous areas. All patients failed to respond to standard therapies, including topical and oral antibiotics, topical and oral retinoids, or topical corticosteroids, before receiving the diagnosis of FMF. Lesional skin biopsies showed a perifollicular CD4-positive T-lymphocytic infiltrate with pilotropism, intrafollicular mucin deposition, foreign-body granulomatous inflammation, acute inflammation, and follicular epithelial necrosis. None had concurrent systemic mycosis fungoides.

LIMITATIONS

Small retrospective cohort study.

CONCLUSION

We present these cases to expand the clinical and histopathologic spectrum of FMF that may strikingly resemble acneiform disorders and to highlight the importance of diagnostic reconsideration with histopathologic evaluation.

An Update on Molecular Biology of Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma

Cutaneous T cell lymphomas represent a heterogenous group of lymphoproliferative disorders defined by clonal proliferation of T cells present in the skin. The latest WHO classification in 2016 and WHO-EORTC classification in 2018 has updated the classification of these entities based on the molecular profile. Research in the field of molecular genetics of CTCL has allowed a better understanding of the biology of these tumors and has helped to identify potential targets for therapy that can be tailored to individual patients. In this review, we discuss the latest developments in the molecular profile of CTCLs including biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and potential therapeutic targets. We have also touched upon the utility of various molecular diagnostic modalities. For the purpose of this review, we researched papers in PubMed indexed journals in English literature published in the past 20 years using keywords CTCL, mycosis fungoides, molecular profile, molecular diagnosis, whole genome profile, genomic landscape, TCR clonality.