Cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a class of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which is a type of cancer of the immune system. Unlike most non-Hodgkin lymphomas, CTCL is caused by a mutation of T cells. The cancerous T cells in the body initially migrate to the skin, causing various lesions to appear. These lesions change shape as the disease progresses, typically beginning as what appears to be a rash which can be very itchy and eventually forming plaques and tumors before spreading to other parts of the body.
Chlormethine, also known as mechlorethamine, mustine, HN2, and embikhin (эмбихин), is a nitrogen mustard sold under the brand name Mustargen. It is the prototype of alkylating agents, a group of anticancer chemotherapeutic drugs. It works by binding to DNA, crosslinking two strands and preventing cell duplication. It binds to the N7 nitrogen on the DNA base guanine. As the chemical is a blister agent, its use is strongly restricted within the Chemical Weapons Convention where it is classified as a Schedule 1 substance.
Sézary disease is a type of cutaneous lymphoma that was first described by Albert Sézary. The affected cells are T-cells that have pathological quantities of mucopolysaccharides. Sézary disease is sometimes considered a late stage of mycosis fungoides with lymphadenopathy. There are currently no known causes of Sézary disease.
T-cell lymphomas are lymphomas that affect T cells. There are four major types, and they account for about one in ten cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
ALVAC-CEA vaccine is a cancer vaccine containing a canary pox virus (ALVAC) combined with the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) human gene.
Amonafide is a drug that is being studied in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to a novel family of chemotherapeutic drugs called Naphthalimides and is a potential topoisomerase inhibitor and DNA intercalator.
Blastic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia is a phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia in which more than 30% of the cells in the blood or bone marrow are blast cells. When tiredness, fever, and an enlarged spleen occur during the blastic phase, it is called blast crisis.
Treosulfan is a substance that is being studied in the treatment of cancer. It belongs to the family of drugs called alkylating agents. It has been used mainly as a substitute of busulfan in frail patients, as the side effects and toxicity are supposedly less severe.
Chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia is a phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia in which 5% or fewer of the cells in the blood and bone marrow are blast cells. This phase may last from several months to several years, and there may be no symptoms of leukemia.
Spindle cell carcinoma is a type of cancer that begins in the skin or in tissues that line or cover internal organs and that contains long spindle-shaped cells. It is also called sarcomatoid carcinoma.
A neuroectodermal tumor is a tumor of the central or peripheral nervous system.
Tumor initiation is defined as "a process in which normal cells are changed so that they are able to form tumors". It is the first phase in tumor development. Mutagens, substances that cause cancer can be tumor initiators.
Drug-induced pseudolymphoma results from exposure to medications, which results in cutaneous inflammatory patterns that resemble lymphoma, most frequently mycosis fungoides.
Segmental resection is a surgical procedure to remove part of an organ or gland, as a sub-type of a resection, which might involve removing the whole body part. It may also be used to remove a tumor and normal tissue around it. In lung cancer surgery, segmental resection refers to removing a section of a lobe of the lung. The resection margin is the edge of the removed tissue; it is important that this shows free of cancerous cells on examination by a pathologist.
Richard Paltauf was an Austrian pathologist and bacteriologist born in Judenburg, Styria.
Lutzner cells were discovered by Marvin A. Lutzner, Lucien-Marie Pautrier, and Albert Sézary. These cells are also referred to as Pautrier’s abscess, Sézary’s cell, or Sézary-Lutzner cells. They are a form of T-lymphocytes that has been mutated This atypical form of T-lymphocytes contains T-cell receptors on the surface and is found in both the dermis and epidermis layers of the skin. Since Lutzner cells are a mutated form of T-lymphocytes, they develop in bone marrow and are transported to the thymus is order to mature. The production and maturation stages occur before the cell has developed a mutation. Lutzner cells can form cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, which is a form of skin cancer.
Poikiloderma vasculare atrophicans (PVA), sometimes referred to as parapsoriasis variegata or parapsoriasis lichenoides is a cutaneous condition characterized by hypo- or hyperpigmentation, telangiectasia and skin atrophy. Other names for the condition include prereticulotic poikiloderma and atrophic parapsoriasis. The condition was first described by pioneer American pediatrician Abraham Jacobi in 1906. PVA causes areas of affected skin to appear speckled red and inflamed, yellowish and/or brown, gray or grayish-black, with scaling and a thinness that may be described as "cigarette paper". On the surface of the skin, these areas may range in size from small patches, to plaques, to neoplasms.
Mogamulizumab is a humanized, afucosylated monoclonal antibody targeting CC chemokine receptor 4 (CCR4). The US FDA approved it in August 2018 for treatment of relapsed or refractory mycosis fungoides and Sézary disease. It was approved in Japan in 2012 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory CCR4+ adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATCLL) and in 2014 for relapsed or refractory CCR4+ cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL). The latter approval was based on study with 28 subjects.
Tumor progression is the third and last phase in tumor development. This phase is characterised by increased growth speed and invasiveness of the tumor cells. As a result of the progression, phenotypical changes occur and the tumor becomes more aggressive and acquires greater malignant potential. Together with the progression, more and more aneuploidy occurs. This leads to expression in cell and nuclear polymorphism.
