Lymphoma is a cancer of the lymph system, and most commonly affects lymph nodes in the neck, armpits and groin. But lymph cells are present in all organs of the body - including the skin. Lymphoma can therefore affect the skin as well. Skin lymphoma, also called Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma (CTCL) is a rare type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) that mainly affects the skin. In many ways this lymphoma is different from other more common types of lymphoma. The way it grows and spreads, the tests that are done, the treatment options are all distinct for lymphoma of the skin. A risk factor is anything that increases your chance of getting a disease like cancer. While most people with lymphoma of the skin may have some factors that make them more likely to get this disease (such as their age or gender), in most people there is no clear cause of the lymphoma. Having one or more risk factors doesn’t mean that you will develop this cancer. There are including the:
- Age: Age is an important risk factor for this disease, with most cases occurring in people in their 50s and 60s.
- Gender and race: Most (but not all) types of skin lymphoma are more common in men than in women. Most also tend to be more common in African-Americans than in whites. The reasons for this are not known.
- Infections: Infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, may increase a person’s risk of skin lymphoma. In parts of Europe (but not in the United States), infection with Borrelia, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease, has also been linked with skin lymphomas. This link has only been reported in a small number of cases—most people with skin lymphoma have not had Lyme disease, and most people with Lyme disease do not develop lymphoma of the skin.
- Weakened immune system: Skin lymphomas may be more common in people with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), who have a weakened immune system. They may also be more common in people who have had an organ transplant such as a heart, kidney or liver transplant. These people must take drugs that suppress their immune system, which may raise the risk of skin lymphoma or lymphomas in other areas of the body.