Did you know that some rare skin cancers can raise your risk of dying from other serious illnesses? A new study from Sweden’s Karolinska Institutet and Karolinska University Hospital has uncovered just that, and the findings are eye-opening.
The study focused on two rare types of skin cancer:
- Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a slow-growing cancer that affects immune cells in the skin.
- Sézary syndrome (SS), a more aggressive form that spreads throughout the body.
Both are types of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, meaning they start in the skin’s immune cells.
Attacking lymphoma at the source
Researchers followed over 600 patients in Sweden diagnosed with MF or SS between 2000 and 2019. They compared them to more than 6,000 people of the same age and sex who didn’t have these cancers.
They discovered:
- Patients with MF or SS have a 56% higher risk of dying from any cause.
- 180 times higher risk of dying from lymphoma.
- 3 times higher risk of dying from infections.
- No increased risk of dying from heart disease or other cancers.
“Lymphoma was the leading cause of death, especially in patients with more severe disease,” said Dr. Hanna Brauner, one of the lead researchers.
Lymphomoids: A lab model of lymphoma tumors
The team found that patients who needed hospital care or strong treatments soon after diagnosis had a much shorter life expectancy:
- Severe cases: median survival of 4.5 years
- Milder cases: median survival of 14.2 years
These findings highlight the importance of early diagnosis, careful monitoring, and proactive infection management.
Because both the disease and its treatments can weaken the immune system, even minor infections can become dangerous.
“Our results show how varied the disease can be,” said Dr. Brauner. “Some patients live many years, while others need much more care and support.”
Journal Reference:
- Lina U Ivert, Sara Ekberg, Karin E Smedby, and Hanna Brauner. Increased mortality due to lymphoma and infections in patients with mycosis fungoides or Sézary syndrome: A Swedish nationwide, population-based cohort study. British Journal of Dermatology. DOI: 10.1093/bjd/ljaf233