Diagnosis & staging
In B.C., only about 45 people are diagnosed with this cancer each year.
Skin lymphomas behave very differently from other lymphomas.
Lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) become cancerous and affect the skin.
Skin lymphoma is hard to diagnose because it looks like other less serious skin conditions. A pathologist can confirm the diagnosis only when the cancer is more advanced and there are enough cancer cells on the skin.
People with skin lymphoma may have symptoms for years before being diagnosed.
People diagnosed with stage 1 or 2 skin lymphoma usually live a long time. For many people, the cancer will not come back (recurrence).
Skin lymphomas are also called T-cell lymphomas (CTCL), mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. Mycosis fungoides is not a fungus infection.
- A chronic rash (rash that does not go away), often itchy. This can be anywhere on your skin.
- In early stages, it often looks like eczema or psoriasis: red, scaly patches or thicker areas of scaly skin, called plaques.
If you have any signs or symptoms that you are worried about, please talk to your family doctor or nurse practitioner.
Tests that may help diagnose skin lymphoma include:
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Physical exam: a careful exam of skin all over your body, looking for lumps, skin lesions, and any other symptoms.
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Biopsy: a doctor removes a sample of skin. The sample is examined by a specialist doctor (pathologist) under a microscope.
This is the only way to diagnose a skin lymphoma.
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Other tests may be done to see if the cancer has spread:
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Blood test.
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Computer tomography (CT) scan:o see the tumour and if the cancer has spread.
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Lymph node biopsy: a sample of cells is removed from lymph nodes, with a needle or with surgery. A specialist doctor (pathologist) examines the cells for cancer.
There are many types of skin lymphomas. The type is determined by the type of cell the lymphoma started in and what the lymphoma looks like under a microscope.
Most skin lymphomas are T-cell lymphomas, sometimes called cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs). T-cells are white blood cells that have an important role in your immune system (the system that fights infections).
- Most common T-cell skin lymphoma.
- About half of all skin lymphomas.
- Starts in T-lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
- Usually grows slowly.
- Is not a fungus infection.
- Similar to mycosis fungoides but the lymphoma cells are also in the blood or lymph nodes.
- Often grow and spread faster.
- Can be harder to treat.
Some skin lymphomas start in B-lymphocytes. These are called cutaneous B-cell lymphomas. B- lymphocytes are white blood cells that are part of your immune system.
- Primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphomas.
- Primary cutaneous follicle centre lymphoma.
- Primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type.
Staging describes the cancer. Staging is based on how much cancer is in the body, where it was first diagnosed, if the cancer has spread and where it has spread to.
The stage of the cancer can help your health care team plan your treatment. It can also tell them how your cancer might respond to treatment and the chance that your cancer may come back (recur).
Note for all stages: The number of Sézary cells in your blood is measured with a blood test. The number of cells will be low or high. Please talk to your doctor about your blood test results and how many Sézary cells are in your blood.
Skin lesions but no tumours. Skin lesions cover less than 10% (one tenth) of skin surface.
- Lymph nodes are not enlarged (larger than they should be).
- Lymphoma cells have not spread to other organs.
- Number of Sézary cells in the blood is not high.
Skin lesions but no tumours. Skin lesions cover at least 10% of skin surface.
- Lymph nodes are not enlarged.
- Lymphoma cells have not spread to other organs.
- Number of Sézary cells in the blood is not high.
Skin lesions but no tumours. Skin lesions cover up to 80% of the skin surface.
- Lymph nodes are enlarged but patterns of cells do not look very abnormal under a microscope.
- Lymphoma cells have not spread to other organs.
- Number of Sézary cells in the blood is not high.
At least one of the skin lesions is a tumour that is 1 cm (about half an inch) across or larger.
- Lymph nodes are either normal or enlarged. Patterns of cells do not look very abnormal under a microscope.
- Lymphoma cells have not spread to other organs.
- Number of Sézary cells in the blood is not high.
Skin lesions cover at least 80% of the skin surface.
- Lymph nodes are either normal or enlarged. Patterns of cells do not look very abnormal under a microscope.
- Lymphoma cells have not spread to other organs.
- Number of Sézary cells in the blood is low.
Skin lesions cover at least 80% of the skin surface.
- Lymph nodes are either normal or enlarged. Patterns of cells do not look very abnormal under a microscope.
- Lymphoma cells have not spread to other organs.
- Number of Sézary cells in the blood is low.
Skin lesions cover any amount of the skin surface.
- Lymph nodes are either normal or enlarged. Patterns of cells look fairly normal under a microscope.
- Lymphoma cells have not spread to other organs.
- Number of Sézary cells in the blood is high.
Skin lesions cover any amount of the skin surface.
- Some lymph nodes are enlarged. Patterns of cells look very abnormal under a microscope.
- Lymphoma cells have not spread to other organs.
- Sézary cells may or may not be in the blood.
Skin lesions cover any amount of the skin surface.
- Lymph nodes may be normal or abnormal.
- Lymphoma cells have spread to other organs, such as the liver or spleen.
- Sézary cells may or may not be in the blood.
