CTCL: Challenges of Treating People of Color

Luis Malpica Castillo, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL)  and the challenges of treating people of color. Also discussed are the financial barriers in the Latino community which prevent patients from seeking medical care for CTCL, differences in presentations of CTCL, programs assisting CTCL patients in Latin America and the Latino community in the US, and adult T-cell leukemia / lymphoma (ATLL).

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) belongs to the non-Hodgkin lymphoma class of hematologic T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a rare group of malignancies, with an incidence of 6.4 cases per 1 million people. This form of T-cell lymphoma represents around 70% of primary cutaneous lymphomas.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma attacks the the body’s immune system, specifically, the lymphatic system, affecting the two types of white blood cells (lymphocytes): B-cells and T-cells. Whereas the B-lymphocytes act to neutralize the pathogens, the main job of the T-lymphocytes is to attach to these foreign cells, viruses, or cancerous growths, and directly destroy them.

Compared with other T-cell lymphomas, a distinguishing feature of CTCL is implied by the name: malignant T-cells migrating to, and collecting in, cutaneous tissue. Diagnosis can be challenging, because the initial signs and symptoms are largely skin-related and overlap with those of many other dermatologic disorders. Adding to the challenge, CTCL variants present with overlapping symptomatology, and correct identification of the CTCL subtype is key to both treatment and prognosis. Histopathologic features must be correlated with the clinical presentation to confirm the diagnosis.

Many forms of CTCL are relatively indolent compared with other T-cell lymphomas, but there are aggressive subtypes. This is illustrated by the two most common forms of CTCL: mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. Although mycosis fungoides is considered a slow-growing variant, Sézary syndrome is aggressive and generally has a poor prognosis. Importantly, even the indolent subtypes can progress in some patients and become difficult to manage.

To learn more about CTCL, visit our Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL) Learning Center page.