Clinical and Histopathological Features of Folliculotropic Mycosis Fungoides: a Norwegian Patient Series

Abstract

Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides is a variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma with distinct clinicopathological features. We describe here the clinical presentation, pathology findings and treatment outcome in 15 Norwegian patients. All patients were diagnosed between 1997 and 2010 at Oslo University Hospital. A spectrum of skin lesions, both typical and atypical, such as leonine facies, acneiform lesions, psoriasiform plaques, purulent ulcerations and cystic milia-like lesions for mycosis fungoides, were seen. Histological examination revealed characteristic infiltration of hair follicles with neoplastic T cells associated with partial destruction of the former. A CD4+ immunophenotype of the neoplastic T cells with loss of one or more T-cell markers was demonstrated. In general, the patients were given more aggressive therapeutic regimens than those with conventional mycosis fungoides, and showed a trend towards more rapid disease progression. In conclusion, this case series confirms the distinct clinical and histological features of folliculotropic mycosis fungoides. Key words: mycosis fungoides; cutaneous T-cell lymphoma; folliculotropic mycosis fungoides.