title: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate as an independent prognostic factor in mycosis fungoides.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mycosis fungoides has a characteristically indolent clinical course, with a slow progression from patches over plaques to tumours. In advanced stages, with generalized skin involvement or tumours, the prognosis is poor. Well defined prognostic parameters for the individual risc stratifications are rare.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine prognostic factors for mycosis fungoides.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a retrospective monocenter study, we reevaluated 97 consecutive cases of mycosis fungoides seen at our clinic. We correlated various routinely accessed parameters with survival data. The parameters were "sex", "age at time of diagnosis", "age-adjusted erythrocyte sedimentation rate"?(ESR), and "anemia".
  
  
  RESULTS
  We identified ESR as a highly significant prognostic marker for MF that also affects overall survival and disease specific survival (P = 0·0014). The five-years disease specific survival was 100% for patients without elevation of ESR, and 52·83% for patients with elevated ESR above normal range (P < 0·001). It is of main interest that the ESR is a significant prognostic marker also in the T2 stage of MF. For the other parameters there was no significant impact on disease specific survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ESR has turned out as independent prognostic factor in mycosis fungoides.
authors: Department of Dermatology, Fachklinik Hornheide, Dorbaumstrasse 300, D-48157 Münster, Germany. christian.hallermann@fachklinikhornheide.de
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Hallermann
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Niermann
authors: R-J
authors: RJ
authors: Fischer
authors: H-J
authors: HJ
authors: Schulze
mesh_terms: D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000401:mortality