Symptoms

Symptoms of Cutaneous Lymphoma

Symptoms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma depend on the stage of the cancer (how far it has spread). The most common signs and symptoms of mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome during each stage of the disease include:

Stage I

• Dry, red, scaly patches, plaques (thick lesions), or bumps on skin (cover less than or at least 10 percent of the skin surface), but no tumors (lesions larger than one centimeter wide)
•  Normal lymph nodes

Stage II

• Dry, red, scaly patches, plaques, or bumps on skin (cover up to 80 percent of the skin surface), but no tumors.
• Lymph nodes are enlarged but do not contain cancer cells.

or

• At least one tumor on skin is one centimeter or more across.
• Lymph nodes are normal or larger than normal, but do not contain cancer cells.

Stage III

• Most of the skin (at least 80 percent) is dry, red, scaly or bumpy and may have tumors
• Lymph nodes are normal or larger than normal, but do not contain cancer cells
• There may be a small number of lymphoma cells in the blood

Stage IV

• Skin is dry, red, scaly or bumpy, and may have tumors (any amount of the skin surface can be involved)
• There are many lymphoma cells in the blood

or

• Cancer has spread to the lymph nodes and/or to other organs, such as the liver or spleen

Other cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are staged slightly differently. The symptoms of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma may resemble other dermatological conditions. Always consult your physician for a diagnosis.