Is mycosis fungoides an autoimmune disease?

Mycosis Fungoides is a very rare disease, it's not a skin cancer although it manifests in the skin, it's actually a blood cancer that destroys your T Cells, it's an autoimmune disease, rendering your immune system useless.

What triggers mycosis fungoides?

The exact cause of mycosis fungoides is not known. Current theories include antigen persistence, retroviruses (e.g., HTLV-1, etc.), and exposure to cancer-causing (carcinogenic) substances.

How does mycosis fungoides affect the immune system?

Mycosis fungoides occurs when T-cell lymphocytes become cancerous. When these cancerous lymphocytes circulate in the blood, they are called Sézary cells. Sézary syndrome occurs when you have large numbers of T-cell lymphocytes — called Sezary cells — in the blood that can go to the skin and lymph nodes.

Is cutaneous T-cell lymphoma autoimmune?

Early cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) may share many clinical and histological features with other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions. We present four patients who demonstrate the similarities in clinical presentation and histologic findings of CTCL, lupus panniculitis, and follicular mucinosis.

What kind of cancer is mycosis fungoides?

Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are diseases in which lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) become malignant (cancerous) and affect the skin. Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are types of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. A sign of mycosis fungoides is a red rash on the skin.

Mycosis Fungoides and Cutaneous Lymphomas

What is the life expectancy of someone with mycosis fungoides?

The overall survival and disease-specific survivals of our 525 patients with MF are shown in Figure 1. The median survival was 11.4 years, and the actuarial overall survival rates at 5, 10, and 30 years were 68%, 53%, and 17%, respectively. The median follow-up time was 5.5 years (range, 0.1-38.5 years).

Does mycosis make you tired?

The majority of respondents had mycosis fungoides (89%). Respondents were bothered by skin redness (94%) and by the extent of symptoms that affected their choice of clothing (63%). For most patients, the disease had a functional impact, rendering them tired or affecting their sleep.

Does mycosis fungoides come and go?

Classic mycosis fungoides

They can disappear spontaneously, stay the same size or slowly enlarge. They are most common on the chest, back or buttocks but can occur anywhere. They are often mistaken for more common skin conditions, such as eczema or psoriasis, sometimes for many years.

Which is worse B-cell or T-cell lymphoma?

Peripheral T-cell lymphomas have a worse prognosis than B-cell lymphomas: a prospective study of 361 immunophenotyped patients treated with the LNH-84 regimen.

Is mycosis fungoides caused by a fungal infection?

The name mycosis fungoides is very misleading—it loosely means "mushroom-like fungal disease". The disease, however, is not a fungal infection but rather a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It was so named because Alibert described the skin tumors of a severe case as having a mushroom-like appearance.

Does mycosis fungoides always progress?

Mycosis fungoides usually occurs in adults over age 50, although affected children have been identified. Mycosis fungoides may progress slowly through several stages, although not all people with the condition progress through all stages.

How fast does mycosis fungoides progress?

Consequently, the overall average disease duration in progressing patients is 12.4 years. Blast transformation occurs in 85% of all cases in the tumor stage. Conclusions: The course of progressing MF is chronic and advancing. The progression is initially slow and later accelerates.

How long can you live with T-cell lymphoma?

Overall, people with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (including T-cell lymphoma along with other types) have a five-year RS of 66.9 percent. Those with T-cell NHL specifically have a slightly lower survival rate of 63.1 percent.

Can you survive mycosis fungoides?

Mycosis fungoides is an indolent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Long term survival is common among patients in the early stages, but deaths from this disorder regrettably remain common among those with more advanced disease.

How do you prevent mycosis?

Avoid activities that involve close contact to soil or dust, such as yard work or gardening. If this isn't possible, Wear shoes, long pants, and a long-sleeved shirt when doing outdoor activities such as gardening, yard work, or visiting wooded areas. Wear gloves when handling materials such as soil, moss, or manure.

What type of lymphoma did Jackie Kennedy have?

Kennedy was diagnosed in January with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer that affects the lymph system, and had been receiving regular chemotherapy treatments since then. If caught early, some types of the disease are treatable, and in the beginning her doctors were optimistic.

What type of lymphoma is not curable?

Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma or Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia.

It's found mainly in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen. This type of lymphoma can't be cured.

Which type of lymphoma is more serious?

The type of chemotherapy you receive will depend on how aggressive the cancer is. “T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas tend to be more aggressive,” Strati says. “Whereas B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas may be more slow-growing.”

Is sun good for mycosis fungoides?

Environmental ultraviolet exposure may affect the natural history of mycosis fungoides. According to study data published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, environmental exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light may reduce the risk for mycosis fungoides.

What can mycosis fungoides be mistaken for?

Mycosis fungoides is often mistaken for common skin conditions such as psoriasis, chronic dermatitis or chronic fungal infection.

Is there a blood test for mycosis fungoides?

A sign of mycosis fungoides is a red rash on the skin. In Sézary syndrome, cancerous T-cells are found in the blood. Tests that examine the skin and blood are used to diagnose mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome.

What is mycosis fungoides patch stage?

The patch stage of mycosis fungoides is characterized by usually erythematous macules that may have a fine scale, may be single or multiple, and may be pruritic (see the image below). In dark-skinned individuals, the patches may appear as hypopigmented or hyperpigmented areas.

Can CTCL cause joint pain?

Affected individuals may also experience weight loss, fevers, and joint pain (arthralgia). Unlike mycosis fungoides, this form of CTCL is often aggressive may lead to the involvement of other organ systems and, potentially, life-threatening complications.

Is cutaneous lymphoma fatal?

Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma is a form of cancer that causes immune system dysfunction that leads to skin health concerns. Like other forms of cancer, Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma can be deadly, especially if the condition goes untreated until it reaches the advanced stages.

Can you live 20 years with lymphoma?

Most people with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma will live 20 years after diagnosis. Faster-growing cancers (aggressive lymphomas) have a worse prognosis. They fall into the overall five-year survival rate of 60%.