Mycosis fungoides is classified into four stages:
Stage |
Description/complaints |
Duration |
Stage I:Premycous stage(eczema stage). |
- Uncharacteristic skin rashes such as large-hearted parapsoriasis (psoriasis) or eczema (skin inflammation; “itchy rash”)
- Yellowish-brownish non-infiltrated foci
- Efflorescences (visible skin changes) may disappear and reappear in other locations. However, they may also persist (persist).
- Pruritus (itching)
- No lymphadenopathy (enlarged lymph nodes).
|
|
Stage II:Infiltrative stage (plaque stage).
|
- Infiltration of the foci with palpable thickening of the skin (flat raised).
- The foci are brown-red and vary in size, sometimes anular (ring-shaped).
- Larger plaques (elevating above the skin level, “plate-like” substance proliferation of the skin) and small nodules.
- The entire outer skin is affected.
- Severe pruritus (itching).
- Lymphadenopathy (lymph nodes are swollen), but no tumor cells are detectable
|
|
Stage III:Mycosidic tumor stage. |
- Formation of hemispherical, fungiform tumors within infiltrates with tendency to erosions (skin defects) and ulcerations (ulcers)
- Often the face is also affected (“Facies leonina” = lion face).
- In severe courses it comes to erythroderma (redness (erythema) of the entire skin organ).
|
|
Stage IV:Systemicproliferation(advanced tumor stage). |
|
|