What are the risk factors for Mycosis Fungoides (Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma)?

From the Guidelines

Mycosis Fungoides (Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma) is more likely to occur in older adults, with a peak age between 50 and 74 years 1.

Risk Factors

• Increasing age is a poor prognostic factor 1
• Male gender has a higher incidence, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.6:1 1
• The presence of large cell transformation in skin, raised lactate dehydrogenase, and stage IV disease are independent prognostic factors that can affect survival rates 1

Demographics

• Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS) are the most common clinicopathological subtypes of Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma (CTCL), representing around 70% of primary cutaneous lymphomas 1
• MF may rarely present in childhood, but approximately 20% of patients are diagnosed with CTCL aged 25–49 years 1
• The annual incidence of CTCL is estimated to be around 0.7 per 100,000 UK population 1 and 1/100,000 in Western countries 1

From the Research

Risk Factors for Mycosis Fungoides

The risk factors for Mycosis Fungoides (Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma) include:

• Gender: The risk of MF is higher in males 2
• Race: The risk of MF is higher in blacks 2
• Industrial exposure: Particularly to oils 2 and aromatic halogenated hydrocarbons 3
• Occupational exposure to chemicals: Such as pesticides, which is a risk factor in both genders 3
• Infections: Such as Staphylococcus aureus or Borrelia species, which are minor risk factors for the development of MF 3
• Chronic exposure to UVR: Which is a minor risk factor for the development of MF 3
• Genetic predisposition: The carcinogenic process is probably multifactorial and multistep, combining the genetic predisposition of the individual and his immune status with various exogenous factors 3

Demographic Risk Factors

The demographic risk factors for Mycosis Fungoides include:

• Male gender: With a higher risk of MF 2
• Black race: With a higher risk of MF 2
• Age: With a median age of 53 years in patients with early mycosis fungoides 4

Environmental Risk Factors

The environmental risk factors for Mycosis Fungoides include:

• Occupational exposure to chemicals: Such as aromatic halogenated hydrocarbons and pesticides 3
• Chronic exposure to UVR: Which is a minor risk factor for the development of MF 3
• Infections: Such as Staphylococcus aureus or Borrelia species, which are minor risk factors for the development of MF 3