Skin lymphoma

Skin lymphoma
Skin lymphoma is a tumor of the skin that occurs due to the proliferation of malignant lymphocytes in it. There are T- and B-cell lymphomas, they are divided according to the type of spreading lymphocytes. In the presence of lymphoma, nodules, plaques, erythrodermic areas form on the skin, in addition, lymph nodes increase.

The content of the article:
Causes and development of skin lymphoma
Symptoms of skin lymphoma
Diagnosis of skin lymphoma
Methods of treatment of skin lymphoma
Prognosis of skin lymphoma
Skin lymphoma
The diagnosis of skin lymphoma consists in carrying out a histological analysis of the material taken from the affected area of the skin.

Treatment of skin lymphoma uses many modern techniques, namely: radiation, chemo- and PUVA therapy, extracorporeal photophoresis.

Causes and development of skin lymphoma
Doctors agree on what is the cause of skin lymphoma. Experts believe that it’s a mutation of T- or B-lymphocytes. Changes in the cells cause them to multiply uncontrollably, and then move into the skin. However, it has not yet been possible to find out what exactly causes the onset of cell mutations. There is a hypothesis according to which a disturbed immune system of the body, combined with the process of constant antigenic stimulation, can start the process of malignant cell reproduction.

Experts note that viral infections caused by retroviruses, cytomegaloviruses, herpes simplex viruses, as well as Epstein—Barr virus can provoke lymphoma. It is believed that the causes of the development of skin lymphoma can be chemicals, carcinogens, agricultural chemicals, industrial substances, solutions used in construction or in production.

Primary lymphoma of the skin is diagnosed when the first lesion concerns the skin. Secondary lymphoma is diagnosed when signs of lymphocyte migration to the bone marrow or thymus gland, lymph nodes or spleen appear. Accumulations of lymphoids in the respiratory tract and in the gastrointestinal tract of the patient may also be detected.

Symptoms of skin lymphoma
A symptom of skin lymphoma is a polymorphism of the rash: nodes and spots, plaques appear on the skin, accompanied by a feeling of itching. During skin lymphoma, peripheral lymph nodes increase.

Lymphoma is divided into degrees based on the malignancy of the disease. There are also types of lymphoma, paying attention to the clinical manifestations of the disease: erythrodermic, plaque and nodular forms of lymphoma.

Nodular form of T-cell lymphoma, grade I. Symptoms: the formation of small flat nodes of lilac or yellow shades. These nodules (the size of a grain of millet) are localized in groups, have a tendency to sudden regression. As the malignancy of the course of the disease increases, the nodules also become larger, darken, and acquire a dark red hue. The tendency to group them disappears. In the nodular form of T-cell lymphoma, patients die after 2-5 years from metastases.
The small-nodular form of T—cell lymphoma of the skin is a very rare species. The nodules are follicular in nature and merge into flaky plaques. After that, large nodules form on the skin, which are replaced by tissue necrosis.
Plaque form of T-cell lymphoma of the skin, grade I. It manifests itself through the formation of yellow-tinged plaques. The size of plaques can even reach the size of the palm, they are prone to expansion, during which they form atrophy and hyperpigmentation.
Plaque form of T-cell lymphoma of the skin, grade II. It is also known as “Mushroom-like mycosis Alibera”, occurs in every fourth case of skin lymphoma. The symptoms are such that the erythematous stage first occurs, which is characterized by the formation of bright crimson spots with peeling. After that, red plaques of a stagnant nature with a wet surface form on the site of crimson lesions. This stage is called, respectively, plaque. The tumor stage begins when the plaques are replaced by flat nodes the size of an orange, with necrosis in the center.
Erythrodermic form of T-cell lymphoma of the skin, grade I. It is also known as the Cesari syndrome. It is characterized by long-term development, lasting from 10 to 15 years. Usually occurs against the background of eczema or neurodermatitis. Edematous skin covered with redness and white lamellar scales is one of the main symptoms. Lymph nodes are enlarged. There is hair loss, nail dystrophy, a constant feeling of painful itching. The death of the patient is possible in a few years, death occurs from cachexia. If the fatal outcome does not occur, then the disease passes into the next stage, the characteristic signs of which are: active infiltration, peeling, dryness and tightness of the skin.
B-cell lymphoma of the skin. One of the most important symptoms is the absence of itching in the first and second degrees of malignancy of the disease, manifestations appear in the form of plaques or nodules. The size of the nodes can reach the size of a walnut, the consistency is dense and elastic.
Diagnosis of skin lymphoma
To determine changes in the patient’s blood, the doctor prescribes a clinical blood test in order to fix leukopenia, monocytosis, leukocytosis or neutrophilosis, an increase in the number of eosinophils. With Cesari syndrome, for example, this volume increases to 200 thousand.

Histological and cytological analysis of the biopsy material taken from the affected areas of the skin or lymph nodes is prescribed.

Methods of treatment of skin lymphoma
Chemotherapy is one of the most widely used methods by which skin lymphoma is stopped, treatment uses drugs-cytostatics (cyclophosphane, vinblastine, vincristine), corticosteroids (prednisone or betamethasone), interferons (for example, gamma interferon).

The symptoms of the disease can also be treated separately. To stop individual spots, plaques, tumors, radiation, photo or PUVA therapy is used. Sometimes extracorporeal electrophoresis is used, which is often effective against single manifestations of skin lymphoma.

The treatment of skin lymphoma is characterized by a combination of different techniques and methods of influencing the disease.

Prognosis of skin lymphoma
The timely start of treatment indicates the possibility of pronounced remission for the first and second degrees of malignancy of skin lymphoma. At this stage, complications from the treatment may lead to a fatal outcome, rather than the disease itself.

Skin lymphoma in the tumor stage means an unfavorable prognosis, since a fatal outcome can occur within a couple of years after the onset of the disease.

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