Is it mycosis fungoides? A comprehensive guide to reaching the diagnosis and avoiding common pitfalls

• Published in: Annals of diagnostic pathology Vol. 47; p. 151546
• Main Author: Alsayyah, Ahmed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01-08-2020
• Subjects: Cutaneous lymphoma; Dermatopathology; Mycosis fungoides; Mycosis fungoides; MF; Cutaneous lymphoma; Dermatopathology
• ISSN: 1092-9134; 1532-8198
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2020.151546

Mycosis Fungoides (MF) is known as ‘the great mimicker’ due to its capacity to emulate several dermatoses, both in the clinic and on histology. This often leads to the diagnosis being missed or delayed, which consequently leads to poorer prognosis. For a timely diagnosis, it is crucial that the physician is aware of the various clinical and histological presentations of MF, as well as the proper diagnostic protocols. In the current review, we concisely encapsulate all the variants of MF as well has the conditions it mimics clinically and histologically. Through this, we aim to provide clinicians with a holistic picture of MF and help them determine when to suspect this disease and steps to take in order to nail the diagnosis.
•Early stage MF has non-specific clinical appearance and complex histology.•Pautrier's micro abscesses and epidermotropism are usually not seen in early MF.•Histological features of MF overlap with several benign inflammatory conditions.•Dermatoses that MF mimics clinically mainly include eczema, erythema, psoriasis.•Thorough clinical and pathological correlation is required to reach the diagnosis.