The incidences of other primary cancers in patients with mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome

Introduction
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a diverse group of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas with malignant T lymphocytes infiltrating the skin. Mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS) belong to the group of CTCLs, among others. In previous studies it was suggested that primary cancers more often occur in patients with cutaneous lymphoma.

Aim
To analyse the incidence of other malignancies in CTCL patients.

Material and methods
The evaluation of the coexistence of primary malignant neoplasms in CTCL patients was conducted by analysis of the patients’ database, with diagnosis of mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome, treated in the Dermatological Department of the Medical University of Gdansk between 2010 and 2018.

Results
Among CTCL patients, 177 were diagnosed with MF/SS (stage MFIA 37.61%, MFIB 30.77%, MFIIA 0.85%, MFIIB 11.11%, MFIII 8.55% MFIV 4.27%; SS 6.84%). The group was characterized by a male-to-female ratio of 1.21 : 1. 16.94% of MF/SS patients had one co-existing cancer, while 1.13% of patients had 2 co-existing cancers; the most common were basal cell carcinoma, lymphomatoid papulosis, lung cancer, and B-cell lymphoma. The obtained data highlight that MF/SS is associated with increased risk of cancer.

Conclusions
Our study suggests that special attention should be paid to careful examination of CTCL patients – what force to perform solid clinical examination, the X-ray chest examination, abdomen USG, mammography, and others, even in early stages of MF/SS. Clinicians should be aware of the coexistence of other neoplasms such as lung, skin, and breast cancer.