Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome)
Prepared with OnCo (onco.cc/prep/cutaneous-t-cell-lymphoma/). Orientation, not medical advice; your team knows your case.
My details
What I know, what is unclear, changes to discuss
Saved in this browserMy questions
15 on the sheet- 1.What is my exact diagnosis, stage, and grade, and which tests established them?
- 2.Which biomarkers have been tested on my tumour (for example Stage, CD30 expression, CCR4 expression and blood involvement, Large-cell transformation on biopsy, T-cell receptor clonality in skin and blood), and what were the results?
- 3.Which subtype is my cancer, and does that change the recommended treatment?
- 4.Is germline (inherited) genetic testing recommended for me or my family?
- 5.For my situation (early stage (patches and plaques)), which of the standard options do you recommend and why?
- 6.Am I a candidate for Bexarotene, and what side effects should I expect?
- 7.For my situation (advanced skin or blood disease), which of the standard options do you recommend and why?
- 8.Am I a candidate for Methoxsalen (extracorporeal photopheresis), Bexarotene, Methotrexate or related drugs, and what side effects should I expect?
- 9.For my situation (refractory or transformed), which of the standard options do you recommend and why?
- 10.Am I a candidate for Gemcitabine, and what side effects should I expect?
- 11.Are there clinical trials I could join, for example of Soligenix, Mogamulizumab?
- 12.Would a second opinion at a high-volume centre change anything, and can you help arrange it?
- 13.What supportive care (symptom control, nutrition, exercise, mental health, financial help) is available from the start?
- 14.I read that “Diagnosis takes years because early disease mimics eczema”. How does that affect my plan?
- 15.I read that “No cure without transplant”. How does that affect my plan?
Tests and results to bring
Biomarker results to ask for: Stage (skin, node, blood, viscera), CD30 expression (brentuximab vedotin), CCR4 expression and blood involvement (mogamulizumab), Large-cell transformation on biopsy, T-cell receptor clonality in skin and blood.
Scans and tests linked to this cancer: Confocal microscopy and optical coherence tomography for skin (VivaScope, VivoSight, deepLive).
Bring copies of scan reports, pathology and blood results, and a list of every medicine and supplement.
The treatments I may be offered
- Early stage (patches and plaques): Topical steroids, nitrogen mustard or bexarotene gel; narrowband UVB or PUVA phototherapy; local radiotherapy; total skin electron beam therapy for widespread disease. (Total skin electron beam therapy, Superficial and orthovoltage radiotherapy for skin cancer, Bexarotene)
- Advanced skin or blood disease: Extracorporeal photopheresis, interferon, oral bexarotene, low-dose methotrexate; mogamulizumab for blood involvement (MAVORIC); brentuximab vedotin for CD30-positive disease (ALCANZA); vorinostat or romidepsin. (Methoxsalen (extracorporeal photopheresis), Bexarotene, Methotrexate, Mogamulizumab, Brentuximab vedotin, Vorinostat, Romidepsin)
- Refractory or transformed: Gemcitabine or liposomal doxorubicin chemotherapy; allogeneic stem cell transplant in fit younger patients. (Gemcitabine, Allogeneic stem cell transplantation)
From the standard of care recorded for this cancer; which apply depends on your stage and biomarkers. Ask which the team recommends and why.