Evaluation of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in Patients with Mycosis Fungoides

Between January 2011 and November 2011, a study involving 32 patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) and 26 healthy controls found that the MF patients had significantly higher levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (HSCRP), homocysteine, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), and total cholesterol. There were positive correlations between homocysteine and total cholesterol, as well as HSCRP and LDLc in the MF group. The study concluded that MF patients have an increased cardiovascular risk and stressed the need for dermatologists to investigate metabolic derangements in these patients. The document also notes that cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6, which are elevated in MF lesional skin, are associated with the pathogenesis of both MF and cardiovascular diseases, suggesting a shared inflammatory pathway.