Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: Biologic targets for therapy

Abstract

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is a malignancy derived from a clonal population of mature, skin-homing lymphocytes. In the skin, the CTCL cells are associated with the Langerhans cells and respond to protumor cytokines. In turn, they upregulate T-cell receptor-dependent signaling pathways and subsequently demonstrate stigmata of T-cell activation. As the disease progresses, there appears to be an accumulation of genetic and epigenetic changes that may contribute to the aggressiveness of the disease. Furthermore, the persistence of tumor appears to require escape from cancer immunosurveillance. This process likely requires modulation of the host immune system and skewing of the immune cells away from a cytotoxic phenotype. Each of these steps in disease pathogenesis offers a potential object for targeted therapies. This article reviews the recent research into the design and use of targeted therapies for CTCL.

Sézary Syndrome with Nodal CD30-positive Manifestation Treated with Brentuximab Vedotin and Extracorporeal Photopheresis

“…A better understanding and more detailed characterization of the immunophenotypic and molecular genetic features of systemic lymphomas has paved the way for the development of more specific and better tolerated anti-neoplastic drugs (2,7). In this respect, the common expression of CD30 in Hodgkin's lymphoma, as well as in systemic anaplastic large-cell lymphoma, can be targeted by immunotherapeutic approaches.…”