Case Report: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with biologic therapy: three cases and a literature review

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) often presents with early-stage clinical features indistinguishable from atopic dermatitis (AD), posing significant diagnostic challenges. Recent studies have highlighted cases where patients initially diagnosed with AD and treated with biologic agents were subsequen...

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Main Authors: Tingting Li, Guanyu Wang, Chunlei Zhang, Wenhui Wang, Chunting Li, Yimeng Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Medicine
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1544912/full
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author Tingting Li
Guanyu Wang
Chunlei Zhang
Wenhui Wang
Chunting Li
Yimeng Wang
author_facet Tingting Li
Guanyu Wang
Chunlei Zhang
Wenhui Wang
Chunting Li
Yimeng Wang
author_sort Tingting Li
collection DOAJ
description Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) often presents with early-stage clinical features indistinguishable from atopic dermatitis (AD), posing significant diagnostic challenges. Recent studies have highlighted cases where patients initially diagnosed with AD and treated with biologic agents were subsequently reclassified as having CTCL, though the nature of this relationship remains poorly understood. In this report, we present two cases of mycosis fungoides and one case of Sézary syndrome (SS), all initially diagnosed as AD and treated with biologic agents, including dupilumab. Furthermore, we conducted a literature review exploring potential associations between AD, biologic agents, and CTCL. Our objective is to improve clinicians’ ability to differentiate between AD and CTCL and to provide evidence supporting a possible association between biologic treatments and CTCL. Our findings highlight the need for heightened clinical vigilance and the routine use of skin biopsy in refractory eczematous presentations.
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publishDate 2025-04-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
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series Frontiers in Medicine
spelling doaj-art-68ba305fa45b44699bd5801bfb531ace2025-08-20T03:15:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Medicine2296-858X2025-04-011210.3389/fmed.2025.15449121544912Case Report: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with biologic therapy: three cases and a literature reviewTingting Li0Guanyu Wang1Chunlei Zhang2Wenhui Wang3Chunting Li4Yimeng Wang5Department of Dermatology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, Tianjin People's Hospital, Tianjin, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing, ChinaCutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) often presents with early-stage clinical features indistinguishable from atopic dermatitis (AD), posing significant diagnostic challenges. Recent studies have highlighted cases where patients initially diagnosed with AD and treated with biologic agents were subsequently reclassified as having CTCL, though the nature of this relationship remains poorly understood. In this report, we present two cases of mycosis fungoides and one case of Sézary syndrome (SS), all initially diagnosed as AD and treated with biologic agents, including dupilumab. Furthermore, we conducted a literature review exploring potential associations between AD, biologic agents, and CTCL. Our objective is to improve clinicians’ ability to differentiate between AD and CTCL and to provide evidence supporting a possible association between biologic treatments and CTCL. Our findings highlight the need for heightened clinical vigilance and the routine use of skin biopsy in refractory eczematous presentations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1544912/fullcutaneous T-cell lymphomabiologicsatopic dermatitisdupilumabJAK inhibitor
spellingShingle Tingting Li
Guanyu Wang
Chunlei Zhang
Wenhui Wang
Chunting Li
Yimeng Wang
Case Report: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with biologic therapy: three cases and a literature review
Frontiers in Medicine
cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
biologics
atopic dermatitis
dupilumab
JAK inhibitor
title Case Report: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with biologic therapy: three cases and a literature review
title_full Case Report: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with biologic therapy: three cases and a literature review
title_fullStr Case Report: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with biologic therapy: three cases and a literature review
title_full_unstemmed Case Report: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with biologic therapy: three cases and a literature review
title_short Case Report: Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma associated with biologic therapy: three cases and a literature review
title_sort case report cutaneous t cell lymphoma associated with biologic therapy three cases and a literature review
topic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
biologics
atopic dermatitis
dupilumab
JAK inhibitor
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmed.2025.1544912/full
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