Mycosis fungoides progression and chronic solvent exposure

The effect of repeated exposure to specific chemicals on the initiation or progression of mycosis fungoides (MF) remains unsettled. A patient with low-grade patch stage MF progressively developed MF plaques restricted to his arms, and a tumour on his right thigh. These areas were subject to repeated exposure to solvents. His thigh was indeed in close contact with his trousers pocket where he used to store a wiping rag drenched into white spirit and cellulosic thinner. Immunophenotyping these lesions revealed a dense LCA+, CD2+, CD3+, CD4+, CD5+, CD7+, CD45+, CD45RO+ T-cell infiltrate admixed with many factor XIIIa+ dendrocytes. T-cell receptor rearrangement analysis identified a monoclonal T-cell infiltrate. An internal work-up remained negative. Stopping further solvent exposure failed to improve his condition. Oral corticotherapy combined with low-dose interferon-alpha2a halted disease progression. This observation suggests that long-term solvent exposure may trigger MF and hasten its progression from the patch stage to the plaque and tumour stages.