What Is Mycosis Fungoides Sezary Syndrome?

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UNIVERSITY CANCER CENTERS
universitycancercenters.com
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MYCOSIS FUNGOIDES SEZARY SYNDROME SYMPTOMS,
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
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Mycosis Fungoides Sezary Syndrome is relatively
uncommon and a fast-growing cancer. This cancer
affects both skin and blood. Sezary syndrome
might appear like eczema or other common skin
conditions in the early stages. Doctors say it
might be associated with a virus, genetics, or
exposure to a chemical. More often, people in
their 50s and 60s are more susceptible to this
condition. Men are twice at risk of the syndrome
than women. A typical healthcare practitioner
may not treat cancer. However, they can offer
treatments and medications to improve your
mycosis fungoides sezary syndrome symptoms. This
guide walks you through everything related to
mycosis fungoides sezary syndrome, symptoms,
diagnosis, treatment, and more.
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WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF MYCOSIS FUNGOIDES SEZARY
SYNDROME?

• The most visible sign of this syndrome is a
  distinctive red rash. It hurts, itches, and
  spreads too swiftly. The earliest symptoms may
  appear similar to psoriasis or eczema. When the
  syndrome worsens, the sufferer may develop small,
  raised bumps on the skin. There can also be
  chances your skin looks harder or thicker than
  others (plaque). The person may potentially get
  skin tumors. Other symptoms might be
• Fatigue
• Eyelids that turn outward
• Swelling in your lower legs
• Unexplained weight loss
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Hair loss
• Fever

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HOW IS A SEZARY SYNDROME DIAGNOSED?
A doctor will carry out a physical test and
evaluate your signs. In addition to that, they
will ask questions about your health history. If
they say that you are suffering from Sézary
syndrome, here are the tests that they might
conduct Blood Tests In a blood test, along
with a complete blood count with a differential,
the percentages of various white blood cells will
be checked. It even includes a sezary blood count
to check the number of sezary cells in the blood
and a peripheral blood smear. Biopsies The
healthcare provider might also carry out the
biopsies of your skin, bone marrow, or lymph
nodes.
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Immunotyping Immunotyping examines cell surfaces
for indicators to detect various forms of
lymphomas. For performing immunotyping, the
provider uses a blood or tissue sample. Other
Tests If blood and lab testing reveal the signs
of Sézary syndrome, the doctor may carry out
other tests to check whether the cancer has
spread. Chest X-rays, CT scans, and positron
emission tomography (PET) scans are some of the
probable tests.
MYCOSIS FUNGOIDES VS. SEZARY SYNDROME
Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome are two
different cutaneous T-cell lymphoma types. In
terms of symptoms, both conditions are almost the
same. But, mycosis fungoides show more red skin
rashes compared to sézary syndrome. Sézary
syndrome is also believed to be a variant of
mycosis fungoides, even though they are two
different forms of conditions. T-cell lymphocytes
turn cancerous and impact skin cells in both
cases. The signs of mycosis fungoides only show
on the skin.
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If the patients blood has cancerous T-cells,
they are known as Sézary cells. The condition is
referred to as Sézary syndrome. Sézary syndrome
involves the skin and cells that move through the
bloodstream. Cancer cells can be detected in
lymph nodes and other tissues of the tissues.
AREAS WHERE MYCOSIS FUNGOIDES SEZARY SYNDROME
OCCURS

• People with mycosis fungoides sezary syndrome
  often develop skin rashes from head to toe.
  Treatment may become necessary in this situation.
  The most common areas of mycosis fungoides sezary
  syndrome occurrence can be
• Upper thighs
• Armpits
• Crook of the elbow
• Breasts
• Groin
• It may be quite rare, but the cancerous cells can
  spread to organs like the spleen, lungs, liver,
  and lymph nodes.

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WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF MYCOSIS FUNGOIDES SEZARY
SYNDROME?
As per research, Sézary syndrome affects 0.1 per
million people. Cutaneous T-cell lymphomas impact
about ten people in a million. What exactly
causes Sézary syndrome is still unexplored. But,
the majority of people who develop the syndrome
experience chromosomal defects in the DNA of
cancer cells. These anomalies are not there in
healthy cells. A majority of people suffering
from mycosis fungoides sezary syndrome experience
at least one chromosomal abnormality. This may
result in genetic hiccups that allow cell growth
and multiplication without control. Usually,
somebody who has mycosis fungoides has additional
DNA in regions of chromosomes 7 and 17. Other
times, they might suffer a loss of DNA from
regions of chromosomes 9 and 10.
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TREATMENT FOR MYCOSIS FUNGOIDES SEZARY SYNDROME
Here are some effective treatments your doctor
may recommend for Mycosis Fungoides Sezary
Syndrome. But that may depend on your signs and
symptoms. The treatments can be Radiation
Therapy The therapy includes external radiation
therapy or complete skin electron beam radiation
therapy. Radiation therapy utilizes high-energy
X-rays and other sorts of radiation to combat
cancerous cells. Healthcare professionals
sometimes use total skin electron beam radiation
therapy for treating Mycosis Fungoides Sezary
Syndrome. Total skin electron beam radiation
therapy is a sort of external radiation therapy
machine that directs electrons to the whole
bodys skin. One can go for external radiation
treatment to receive palliative care and reduce
symptoms. Therefore, it can ultimately improve
the quality of life.
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Chemotherapy Healthcare practitioners may employ
topical chemotherapy, which is administered to
the skin, or systemic chemotherapy. This affects
the entire body of the patient. A systemic
chemotherapeutic treatment is a
vorinostat. Chemotherapy uses drugs to prevent
the occurrence of cancer-developing cells. They
either combat these cells or stop them from
spreading or multiplying. If the chemotherapy is
given externally or orally, the drugs will either
go through the bloodstream or may reach the
cancerous cells. Phototherapy Providers may
even use extracorporeal photopheresis to treat
the condition. This entails the collection of
white blood cells (WBCs) and exposure of the
cells to UV light. Photopheresis or UV
phototherapy can also be used. In phototherapy,
light waves are used to cure the condition. The
skin of the patient will face ultraviolet rays
for a specified amount of time. The UV rays will
shut down the skins immune system cells. Before
the therapy, the doctor would ask you to remove
any clothing covering your affected skin area.
The areas which dont need phototherapy must be
fully covered.
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Targeted Therapy Providers may use targeted
therapy to cure the condition. Monoclonal
antibody therapy is an example of targeted
therapy. They will use certain drugs or other
substances to detect and eradicate cancerous
cells. In general, compared to chemotherapy or
radiation therapy, targeted therapies may result
in damaging normal cells. Immunotherapy The
doctors use the patients immune system to combat
cancer during immunotherapy. Our body offers
protection against cancer with its natural
defenses. They strengthen, direct, or repair
using substances produced by the body or in a
laboratory. Immunotherapy is a type of biological
therapy. A few biological therapies stimulate or
suppress the patients immune system to aid the
body in combating cancer. Others attack certain
cancerous cells to stop their growth. These
therapies can even alleviate the adverse effects
that some cancer treatments incur.
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Other Drug Therapies The other potential
treatments include the use of drugs like
corticosteroids, retinoid creams, or gels like
bexarotene. The practitioners use topical
corticosteroids to ease signs like skin swelling
or inflammation. These are available in the form
of lotion, ointment, or cream. Lenalidomide is
another medication that aids the immune system in
warding off aberrant blood cells or cancerous
cells. This may even stop tumors from growing new
blood vessels.
CONCLUSION
Mycosis Fungoides Sezary Syndrome might be an
aggressive cancer. So, you must visit an expert
physician and get therapy. This will ensure you
get the ideal control of your signs and the best
possible prognosis. Are you having mycosis
fungoides sezary syndrome symptoms? Do you need
proper guidance on how to deal with the
condition? At University Cancer Centers, you can
expect to get the same. We are a safe haven for
every cancer patient out there. From precise
diagnosis to necessary assistance, we are there
for you.