Overview
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a rare type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells. The cancer affects white blood cells called T cells, also called T lymphocytes. These cells help the body's germ-fighting immune system. In cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, the T cells attack the skin.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, also called CTCL, can cause rash and slightly raised or scaly round patches on the skin. Sometimes other growths appear on the skin.
There are several types of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The most common types include:
- Mycosis fungoides. Mycosis fungoides is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. It grows slowly. Mycosis fungoides mainly affects the skin. It often causes patches of affected skin.
- Sezary syndrome. Sezary syndrome is a less common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. It grows and expands quickly. Sezary syndrome affects the skin and the blood. In time, it causes a rash over the whole body.
Treatment depends on the type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Treatments can include skin creams, light therapy, radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Another type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that affects the skin is called cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is much more common than cutaneous B-cell lymphoma.
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Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma include:
- Patches of raised or scaly skin that might itch. The patches happen most often on skin that doesn't get much sun.
- Patches of skin that look pink, red, brown or gray. The color may be harder to see on Black and brown skin.
- Patches of skin that look lighter in color than the skin around them. This may be easier to see on Black and brown skin.
- Lumps that form on the skin and may break open.
- Lymph nodes that get bigger.
- Hair loss.
- Thickened skin on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
- A rash over all the skin that is scaly and itchy.
When to see a doctor
Make an appointment with a healthcare professional if you have symptoms that worry you.
Causes
The cause of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma often isn't known. This cancer causes a growth of cells in the skin. It starts in germ-fighting white blood cells called lymphocytes. Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma affects specific lymphocytes called T lymphocytes.
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma happens when T lymphocytes develop changes in their DNA. A cell's DNA holds the instructions that tell the cell what to do.
DNA gives healthy cells instructions to grow and multiply at a set rate. The instructions tell the cells to die at a set time. In cancer cells, the DNA changes give other instructions. The changes tell the cancer cells to grow and multiply quickly. Cancer cells can keep living when healthy cells would die. This causes too many cells.
In cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, the cancer cells build up in the skin. In one type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma called Sezary syndrome, the cancer cells also are in the blood.
Risk factors
The risk of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma may be higher in:
- Older adults. The condition can happen at any age, but it's more common in people 50 and older.
- People assigned male at birth. The condition is twice as common in people assigned male at birth than it is in people assigned female at birth.
- Black people. Black people have the highest risk of getting cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Black people also are more likely to get this cancer at an earlier age.
There is no way to prevent cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.