Substantial evidence has accumulated to indicate not only that mycosis fungoides and the Sézary syndrome are closely related malignancies, but to suggest that they are part of a larger spectrum of cutaneous lymphomas. The neoplastic cells of these disorders have membrane features of thymus-derived (T) lymphocytes, a characteristic tissue distribution (skin infiltration, marrow sparing, localization in T-cell regions of lymphoid tissue), and distinctive morphology. For these reasons, we suggest that these lymphoproliferative disorders be grouped together as "cutaneous T-cell lymphomas". The anergy noted in patients of this group with leukemia probably is related to both decreased percentages of normal T cells and presence in the serum of macrophage migration inhibitory activity. Leukapheresis has been particularly effective in the management of selected patients. The homogeneous T-cell populations in the patients with leukemia also provide important opportunities to study many aspects of lymphocyte physiology that are of broad biologic significance.

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