title: Diagnostics in mycosis fungoides and Sezary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this paper was to present diagnostic methods helping in the recognition of mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Mycosis fungoides is the most common form of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. It is characterized by a distinctive long-term course and malignant T-cell proliferation. MF diagnosis is not easy, mainly due to the atypical clinical presentation of the disease at an early stage.
  
  
  METHODS
  Low specific changes, which can be observed at the histopathological examination. Initially, the skin lesions may resemble psoriasis, atopic dermatitis or chronic eczema. Patients are qualified according to the available, and generally accepted WHO-EORTC classification, based on a combination of clinical and histopathological markers. From a clinical point of view, it is also important to carry out the qualification according to the TNMB assessment, which allows to specify the stage of the disease, and is helpful in the monitoring of the course of disease and therapeutic effects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this paper we try to present currently available diagnostic methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diagnosis of MF and SS still causes many problems due to less characteristic changes in the early stage of disease and requires wide interdisciplinary knowledge.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology of Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Olek-Hrab
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology of Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Silny
keywords: CTCL; Diagnostics; Mycosis fungoides; Sezary syndrome