What are cutaneous T-cell lymphomas?
Lymphomas are tumours of the lymph nodes and lymphatic system. Extranodal lymphomas are tumours that occur in organs or tissues outside of the lymphatic system. When lymphomas occur in the skin with no evidence of disease anywhere else at the time of diagnosis, they are called ‘primary’ cutaneous lymphomas. There are many different types of primary cutaneous lymphomas but they can be broadly divided into two categories, cutaneous T-cell lymphomas and cutaneous B-cell lymphomas. Of all primary cutaneous lymphomas, 65% are of the T-cell type. Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) refer to a serious but uncommon skin condition in which there is an abnormal neoplastic proliferation of lymphocytes with a ´T´ subtype (thymus-derived). The diagnosis is made by skin biopsy.
