Cutaneous lymphoma in Israel, 1985-1993: a population-based incidence study

Abstract

Summary The incidence rate of cutaneous lymphomas (CL) [including mycosis fungoides (MF) and non-mycosis fungoides (non-MF)] for the period 1985-93 in Israel was determined using data from the population-based Cancer Registry supplemented by a field survey that covered approximately 80% of lymphoma cases. After the field survey, corrected rates were 49% and 24% higher for MF and non-MF respectively (37% for CL overall). The age-adjusted incidence rates per 100 000 were 1.18 and 0.63 for Jewish men and women respectively. MF rates (0.77 in men and 0.35 in women) were higher than non-MF (0.41 and 0.28 respectively). Rates of CL were significantly lower in non-Jews. There were no significant differences in incidence among Jewish ethnic subgroups. However, the lack of variability in the incidence of these neoplasms among subpopulations is in contrast with findings for cutaneous malignant melanoma; the observed high rates of CL could, nonetheless, be consistent with the sunlight exposure hypothesis, operating perhaps through a different mechanism.

Clinicoepidemiological features of mycosis fungoides in Kuwait, 1991–2006

“…Among younger patients (<20 years), the IR was observed to be higher in males than females. Whereas in other age groups, contrary to earlier observations, 3,14,19 no significant sex difference of the IR was noticed. As has been reported earlier, 2,3,19 a successive rise in the incidence rate with the advancing age was seen (Table 1).…”

“…Proportion of our patients complaining of onset of their disease before 20 years was much higher, but in order to avoid any bias, we concentrated on the patients who were diagnosed by the age 20 years. An IR of 0.25 cases per 100,000 persons per year in our younger patients (<20 years) (Table 1) is much higher than what has been reported earlier from elsewhere 3,14,19 . Whether occurrence of MF in younger patients in our region is related to some ethnic or genetic variations, or to the environmental factors, needs to be determined.…”

“…The annual IR of non‐homogeneous population studied from Australia, the Netherlands, and Norway has ranged between 0.13 and 0.18 cases per 100,000 persons 4–6 . Among Jews from Israel, a higher IR among men (0.77/100,000/year) as compared to that in women (0.35/100,000/year) was noticed 14 . An IR of 0.43 per 100,000 persons per year among our population is within the range reported earlier from USA and Israel, but within our population Arabs were observed to have significantly higher IR of MF (0.66/100,000/year) as compared to non‐Arab Asians (0.15/100,000/year).…”

Incidence of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in Norway

“…This was found in Israel, where during the period 1985-93 data from the Israel Cancer Registry were investigated. 5 After a completeness survey, the incidence of MF increased from 0AE49 to 0AE77 per 100 000 person-years among all Jewish men, and from 0AE25 to 0AE35 per 100 000 person-years for all Jewish women. MF has an indolent course, and the median duration from initial skin symptoms to the diagnosis MF ⁄SS is almost 6 years.…”

“…3,4 The reason for this is still unknown, but several different theories have been discussed. 3,5 About 75% of primary cutaneous lymphomas are of T-cell origin 6 and mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common subtype, accounting for approximately 50% of all primary cutaneous lymphomas. Sézary syndrome (SS), the erythrodermic, leukaemic subtype of primary cutaneous lymphomas, is rare, and accounts for only about 3%.…”