Background: Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common type of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Patients with limited patch and/or plaque disease have a normal life expectancy. Neutrophilic dermatosis (ND) may be associated with various hematologic disorders. However, its association with CTCL is exceptional and has been reported only twice with leukemic forms of CTCL.
Observations: Three patients with MF developed ND resistant to conventional therapies and responsible for an impaired quality of life due to constitutional symptoms and painful cutaneous lesions. All patients underwent an aggressive treatment course despite their varying initial clinical stages of MF, and all experienced a fatal outcome less than 18 months after the onset of ND.
Conclusions: The association of MF with ND is exceptional and carries a poor prognosis, but the pathophysiologic nature of this association remains unclear. It may involve neutrophil chemoattractant cytokine production by tumor cells. A triggering role of interferon alfa is also possible.