[Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. A retrospective study of 60 patients with correlation between histologic classification and survival time].

47 patients suffering from mycosis fungoides and 13 with Sézary's syndrome were retrospectively studied with regard to prognosis in relation to the histologic substrate of cutaneous lesions. On account of the wide spectrum of T-cell cytomorphology as well as the pattern and composition of the infiltrate, we distinguished 4 histopathological types: small cell lymphoid type (45%), mixed cell polymorphic type (40%), large cell type (immunoblastic and pleomorphic, 10%), and medium-sized cell type (5%). Statistical analysis revealed survival rates of 10 years in 68.3% for the small cell lymphoid type and in 30.3% for the mixed cell polymorphic type. All patients showing the large cell type died within 6 years after diagnosis; those bearing the medium-sized cell type died within 2 years after diagnosis. The forms of mycosis fungoides showing the last two types of infiltrate may be classified as lymphomas of extreme malignancy. The different histological features are not only significant with regard to the diagnosis but also permit prognostic estimation before systemic signs have become evident.