MicroRNA expression in early mycosis fungoides is distinctly different from atopic dermatitis and advanced cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common variant of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). MF is characterized by chronic inflammation dominated by cluster of differentiation 4-positive (CD4(+)) T-cells and T helper 2 cytokines, and as the malignant T-cell clone is initially elusive, early diagnosis is often impossible. MF usually takes an indolent course, but for unknown reasons may turn into an aggressive disease with a poor prognosis.

Diagnostic microRNA profiling in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).

Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) are the most frequent primary skin lymphomas. Nevertheless, diagnosis of early disease has proven difficult because of a clinical and histologic resemblance to benign inflammatory skin diseases. To address whether microRNA (miRNA) profiling can discriminate CTCL from benign inflammation, we studied miRNA expression levels in 198 patients with CTCL, peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTL), and benign skin diseases (psoriasis and dermatitis).