Definition: T-cell lymphomas localized predominantly or primarily in skin comprise a heterogeneous group of tumors. The most frequent is fungoid mycosis. T-CELL TUMORS AND GROWTH FACTORS: When growth factors of T-cell tumors, particularly IL-7 and IL-5, were identified, it became possible to grow T-cell tumoral clones in long-term in vitro cultures used to evidence anti-tumoral cellular immune reactions in T-cell skin cancers. Reactional T-cell clones with specific anti-tumoral reactions can be expaned ex vivo. This advance has made it possible to identify tumoral antigens and better understand the mechanisms leading to tumoral escape from anti-tumoral defense systems.
Therapeutic perspectives: It is now possible to develop immunotherapy strategies based on reinjection of T lymphocytes with specific cytotoxic activity after ex vivo expansion. Injections of immunogenic peptides associated or not with dendritic cells or injection of DNA coding for these tumor antigens are other possibilities.