The disease, is not a fungal infection but rather a type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. It was so named because Alibert ( who first described mycosis fungoides in 1806 ) described the skin tumors of a severe case as having a mushroom-like appearance
The cause of mycosis fungoides is unknown .It is rare for the disease to appear before age 20, and it appears to be noticeably more common in males than females, especially over the age of 50 . The average age of onset is between 45 and 55 years of age for patients with patch and plaque disease only, but is over for patients who present with tumours, erythroderma (red skin) or a leukemic form (the Sézary syndrome).
Typical visible symptoms include rash like patches, tumors, or lesions. Itching is common, perhaps in 20% of patients, and is not universal.
Diagnosis is sometimes difficult because the early phases of the disease often resemble eczema or even psoriasis.
If treatment is successful the disease can go into a non-progressing state with clinically clear examination and various tests .Common treatments include simple sunlight, ultraviolet light, topical steroids, topical and systemic chemotherapies, local superficial radiotherapy, the histone deacetylase inhibitor vorinostat, total skin electron beam radiation, photopheresis and systemic therapies (e.g. interferons, retinoids, rexinoids) or biological therapies. Treatments are often used in combination
Encourage the use of supportive treatments in patients with mycosis fungoides to decrease pruritus and to lubricate the skin. Nonspecific antipruritic treatments used to control symptoms are useful and often necessary adjuncts to more specific therapies. Patients should avoid sun exposure and remain in a cool environment.
References :wikipedia , emedicine
