The Importance of Collaboration in Treating CTCL (Chapter 7)

Luis Malpica Castillo, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Lymphoma/Myeloma, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, discusses cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) and the importance of collaboration in treating this rare cancer.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma belongs to the non-Hodgkin lymphoma class of hematologic T-cell lymphoproliferative disorders. Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a rare group of malignancies, with an incidence of 6.4 cases per 1 million people. This form of T-cell lymphoma represents around 70% of primary cutaneous lymphomas.

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma attacks the the body’s immune system, specifically, the lymphatic system, affecting the two types of white blood cells (lymphocytes): B-cells and T-cells. Whereas the B-lymphocytes act to neutralize the pathogens, the main job of the T-lymphocytes is to attach to these foreign cells, viruses, or cancerous growths, and directly destroy them.

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