Important It is possible that the main title of the report Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphomasis not the name you expected.
Synonyms
CTCL
Disorder Subdivisions
Mycosis Fungoides
Sezary Syndrome
Granulomatous Slack Skin
Primary Cutaneous Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphomas
Lymphomatoid Papulosis
Subcutaneous Panniculitic T-Cell Lymphoma
Pagetoid Reticulosis (Woringer-Kolopp Disease)
General Discussion
Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are a group of disorders characterized by abnormal accumulation of malignant T-cells in the skin potentially resulting in the development of rashes, plaques and tumors. CTCLs belong to a larger group of disorders known as non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs), which are related malignancies (cancers) that affect the lymphatic system (lymphomas). Functioning as part of the immune system, the lymphatic system helps to protect the body against infection and disease. It consists of a network of tubular channels (lymph vessels) that drain a thin watery fluid known as lymph from different areas of the body into the bloodstream. Lymph accumulates in the tiny spaces between tissue cells and contains proteins, fats, and certain white blood cells known as lymphocytes.
There are two main types of lymphocytes: B-lymphocytes, which may produce specific antibodies to "neutralize" certain invading microorganisms, and T-lymphocytes, which may directly destroy microorganisms or assist in the activities of other lymphocytes. CTCLs result from errors in the production of T-lymphocytes or transformation of T-lymphocytes into malignant cells. In CTCLs abnormal, uncontrolled growth and multiplication (proliferation) of malignant T-lymphocytes result in accumulation of these lymphocytes in the skin. In some cases, malignant lymphocytes may spread to affect the lymph nodes and eventually to other bodily tissues and organs, potentially resulting in life-threatening complications. The specific symptoms and physical findings may vary from case to case, depending upon the extent and region(s) of involvement, the specific type of CTCL present, and various additional factors.
Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, such as CTCLs, may also be categorized based upon certain characteristics of the cancer cells as seen under a microscope and how quickly they may tend to grow and spread. For example, CTCLs may be characterized as "low-grade" (or indolent) lymphomas, which tend to grow slowly and result in few associated symptoms, or "intermediate-grade" or "high-grade" (aggressive) lymphomas, which typically grow rapidly, requiring prompt treatment. Most cases of CTCL, especially the classic form (mycosis fungoides), are slow-growing (indolent) lymphomas. .
Resources
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society 1311 Mamaroneck Ave 3rd Floor White Plains, NY 10605 Tel: (914)949-5213 Fax: (914)949-6691 Tel: (800)955-4572 Email: infocenter@LLS.org Internet: http://www.LLS.org
American Cancer Society, Inc. 1599 Clifton Road NE Atlanta, GA 30329 USA Tel: 4043203333 Tel: 8002272345 Internet: http://www.cancer.org
Mycosis Fungoides Network Department of Dermatology Pavillion A3 UC Medical Center Cincinnati, OH 45267-0523 Fax: (513)558-3531
National Cancer Institute Physician Data Query (PDQ) Cancer Information Service 9000 Rockville Pike Bethesda, MD 20892 Tel: (800)422-6237 Internet: http://www.cancernet.nci.nih.gov/pdq.html
National Cancer Institute 6116 Executive Blvd, MSC 8322, Room 3036A Bethesda, MD 20892-8322 USA Tel: 3014353848 Tel: 8004226237 TDD: 8003328615 Internet: http://www.cancer.gov
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship 1010 Wayne Avenue Suite770 Silver Spring, MD 20910-5600 Tel: (301)650-9127 Fax: (301)565-9670 Tel: (877)622-7937 Email: infor@canceradvocacy.org Internet: http:// www.canceradvocacy.org
Cancer Hope Network 2 North Road Suite A Chester, NJ 07930 Tel: (908)879-4039 Fax: (908)879-6518 Tel: (877)467-3638 Email: info@cancerhopenetwork.org Internet: http://www.cancerhopenetwork.org
OncoLink: The University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center Resource 3400 Spruce Street 2 Donner Philadelphia, PA 19104-4283 USA Tel: 2153495445 Fax: 2153495445 Email: editors@oncolink.upenn.edu Internet: http://www.oncolink.upenn.edu
Lymphoma Research Foundation 111 Broadway 19th Floor New York, NY 10006 USA Tel: 2123492910 Fax: 2123492886 Tel: 8002356848 Email: LRF@lymphoma.org Internet: http://www.lymphoma.org
Canadian Cancer Society 10 Alcorn Avenue Suite 200 Toronto Toronto, M4V 3B1 Canada Tel: (416) 961-7223 Fax: (416) 961-4189 Tel: (888) 939-3333 Email: ccs@cancer.ca Internet: http://www.cancer.ca/
Lymphoma Association (UK) PO Box 386 Haddenham Aylesbury Bucks, Intl HP20 2GA United Kingdom Tel: 01296 619400 Email: lymphoma.org.uk Internet: http://www.lymphoma.org.uk
International Cancer Alliance for Research and Education 4853 Cordell Avenue Suite 14 Bethesda, MD 20814 Tel: (301)656-3461 Fax: (301)654-8684 Tel: (800)422-7361 Email: info@icare.org Internet: http://www.icare.org
Rare Cancer Alliance 1649 North Pacana Way Green Valley, AZ 85614 USA Tel: 5206255495 Fax: 6155264921 Email: sharon.lane@rare-cancer.org Internet: http://www.rare-cancer.org
Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation PO Box 374 Birmingham, MI 48012 USA Tel: 2486449014 Fax: 2486449014 Email: info@clfoundation.org Internet: http://www.clfoundation.org
Friends of Cancer Research 2231 Crystal Drive Suite 200 Arlington, VA 22202 Tel: (703)302-1503 Fax: (703)302-1568 Email: info@focr.org Internet: http://www.focr.org
UCSF Hemophilia Treatment Center 400 Parnassus Ave. First Floor San Francisco, CA 94143 Tel: (415)353-2986 Fax: (415)353-2600 Internet: http://www.ucsfhealth.org/adult/medical_services/blood/hemophilia/index.html
Wellness Community 919 18th Street N.W. Suite 54 Washington, DC 20006 Tel: (202)659-9709 Fax: (202)659-9301 Tel: (888)793-9355 Email: help@thewellnesscommunity.org Internet: http://www.thewellnesscommunity.org
Lance Armstrong Foundation PO Box 161550 Austin, TX 78716-1150 Tel: (512)236-8820 Fax: (512)236-8482 Tel: (866)235-7205 Internet: http://www.livestrong.org
For a Complete Report
This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. (r) (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html
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