Clinicoprognostic implications of head and neck involvement by mycosis fungoides: A retrospective cohort study

Abstract

The clinicoprognostic implications of head and neck involvement of mycosis fungoides (MF) are poorly understood. To evaluate the association of head and neck involvement on the clinicoprognostic features of MF. The clinical features and survival outcomes of patients with MF in a Korean academic medical center database were retrospectively evaluated according to the presence of head and neck involvement at diagnosis. Cases of MF with (group A, n=39) and without (group B, n=85) head and neck involvement at diagnosis were identified. Advanced-stage disease (stages IIB-IVB) was more common in group A (43.6%) than in group B (5.9%) (P<.001). MF progression, extracutaneous dissemination, and large-cell transformation more commonly occurred in group A than in group B. The 10-year overall survival rate was worse in group A (53.4%) compared with group B (81.6%) (P<.001). Head and neck involvement at diagnosis was associated with poor prognosis in early-stage MF (stages IA-IIA) and was independently associated with worse progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 24.4; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-267.6; P=.009). A single center, retrospective design. Head and neck involvement of MF was associated with a poor prognosis.