title: Peripheral blood T-cell clonality in mycosis fungoides and nonlymphoma controls.
abstract: In mycosis fungoides (MF), T-cell clonality is reported in about 90% of skin and 40% of blood samples. However, identity of blood and cutaneous T-cell clone and prognostic relevance of blood T-cell clonality remain controversial. By PCR/fluorescence fragment analysis with estimation of clonal fragment lengths and relative peak heights, we objectively identified T-cell clonality unrelated to malignant lymphoproliferation in healthy donors (5/38), autoimmune dermatoses (3/8), and nonlymphoma skin cancer (9/39). This T-cell expansion of undetermined significance (TEXUS) was also found in 8/64 MF patients. Dissemination of neoplastic cells into blood, as identified by identical clonal fragment lengths in blood and skin, was detected in 23/64 MF patients. When monitoring for progression at TNM stage for a mean of 45.7 months, univariate analysis identified age of >60 years and detection of a related blood T-cell clone to be of prognostic relevance, whereas detection of TEXUS, sex, TNM stage at initial diagnosis, and detection of a cutaneous T-cell clone were irrelevant. Although multivariate analysis was not possible, further stratification clearly indicated an age of >60 years to be the predominating prognostic factor. In conclusion, investigation of T-cell clonality in skin and blood samples at the initial diagnosis cannot predict the clinical course of MF and the occurrence of TEXUS should be considered when assessing blood T-cell clonality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Allergy, Charité, Humboldt University Medical School, Berlin, Germany. j.m.muche@wfg.nl
authors.forename: J Marcus
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Muche
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sterry
authors.forename: Sylke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gellrich
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rzany
authors.forename: Heike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Audring
authors.forename: Ansgar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lukowsky
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002999:Clone Cells; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005453:Fluorescence; D016694:Gene Rearrangement, delta-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor / Q000235:genetics; D015334:Gene Rearrangement, gamma-Chain T-Cell Antigen Receptor / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm