title: Folliculotropic mycosis fungoides.
abstract: A 72-year-old man presented with a 4-year history of asymptomatic erythematous plaques on his face, neck, and scalp. He had no systemic symptoms or lymphadenopathy. Histopathologic examination of a skin biopsy specimen showed a dense, diffuse infiltrate of lymphocytes and plasma cells, with epidermotropism and folliculotropism. T-cell receptor (TCR) gene rearrangement analysis performed on skin biopsy specimen showed a monoclonal cell population. A diagnosis of folliculotropic mycosis fungoides (MF) was made. This clinicopathologic variant of MF is usually associated with ordinary patch-plaque lesions. The prognosis of folliculotropic MF is best estimated using the TNM staging criteria. Many clinicians feel that this variant of MF portends a worse prognosis; however, there are no studies to support this idea. Folliculotropic MF may be more resistant to superficial therapies because of the depth of the neoplastic T-cells in the follicle.
authors.affiliation: New York University Department of Dermatology, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hunzeker
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fangman
authors.forename: Jo-Ann M
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Latkowski
mesh_terms: D017255:Acitretin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005145:Face; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015329:Gene Rearrangement, T-Lymphocyte / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D009333:Neck; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / Q000235:genetics; D012535:Scalp; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D011948:Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell; D017255:Acitretin