Cytophotometric studies on mycosis fungoides and other cutaneous reticuloses

Feulgen-DNA cytophotometry was carried out in skin imprint preparations of patients with mycosis fungoides, reticulum-cell sarcoma, lymphomatoid papulosis and Sézary's syndrome. These patients proved to have aneuploid and polyploid DNA histograms. In tumour stage of mycosis fungoides a more bimodal distribution of the DNA values was found. Of 79 cases of suspected malignant reticulosis of the skin, 32 showed an abnormal DNA histogram with 5 percent or more tetraploid and hypertetraploid cells. Thirty of these patients developed a malignant skin reticulosis during the 4-year follow-up period. It is concluded that DNA cytophotometry has value as a supplement to routine morphological histopathology in malignant cutaneous reticulosis.