[Cutaneous lymphomas]

Abstract

Cutaneous lymphomas are lymphoproliferations affecting skin only at the time of diagnosis. There are two major types, B-cell lymphomas and T-cell lymphomas, which prognosis depends of histological subtype and staging evaluation. In cutaneous B-cell lymphomas, there are two indolent subtypes (primary cutaneous marginal zone B-cell lymphoma and primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma) and one more aggressive type (primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type). Classification of T-cell lymphomas distinguishes indolent subtypes such as mycosis fungoides, the most frequent of T-cell lymphomas, and CD30+ lymphoproliferations such as lymphomatoid papulosis, whereas other T-cell lymphoma subtypes have a more pejorative prognosis such as Sezary syndrome (erythrodermic and leukemic form of mycosis fungoides) and CD30- lymphomas. Staging evaluation with CT-scan of chest, abdomen and pelvis, bone marrow examination if necessary and lymph node biopsy if palpable node over 1 or 1.5 cm diameter, is necessary for therapeutic decision.