Skin Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Skin Cancer, including details on identification, causes, prevention, treatment.

Clinical outcome of patients with subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma.

Ghobrial IM, Weenig RH, Pittlekow MR, Qu G, Kurtin PJ, Ristow K, Ansell SM

Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.

Subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare form of cytotoxic T-cell lymphoma. The objective of this study was to characterize the clinical presentation, treatment, and prognosis of patients with SPTCL. Twenty-one patients with SPTCL were seen at Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota, USA) between July 1973 and June 2004. The median age at diagnosis was 42 years (range 23-80 years) and 15 (71%) were women. Constitutional symptoms occurred in 14 (67%) patients, including fever, serositis, arthralgias and myalgias. The Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance score was poor (3-4) in 3 (15%) patients. Liver enzymes (at least 2 enzymes, Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase and/or lactate dehydrogenase) were elevated in 11 (52%) patients. Therapy consisted of chemotherapy in 13 (62%) patients, or other therapeutic interventions in 8 (38%) patients, including surgical excision, corticosteroids alone or in combination with either plaquenil, colchicine, hydroxychoroquine, or azathioprine. Bone marrow transplantation was performed in 5 (24%) patients, 3 autologous and 2 allogeneic. The median overall survival from diagnosis was 15 months (range 0.1-104 months). Two groups of patients were identified and categorized as having a favorable or unfavorable disease course. The factors associated with an unfavorable disease course were a low white blood cell count or elevated lactate dehydrogenase. Patients treated aggressively with stem cell transplantation appeared to have an improved overall survival.

Published 15 July 2005 in Leuk Lymphoma, 46(5): 703-8.
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