Mycosis fungoides in childhood: A diagnostic challenge for primary care physicians: A case report

Vollständiger Abstract

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Mycosis fungoides (MF) is the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma in adult male, though it is rare in children. Pediatric MF often presents with hypopigmented patches, which can be mistaken for common skin conditions such as pityriasis alba, tinea versicolor, vitiligo, leprosy, or post-inflammatory hypopigmentation. This difficulty can lead to delayed diagnosis and misdiagnoses by healthcare workers. We report a case of hypopigmented mycosis fungoides (HMF) in a 4-year-old boy. The diagnosis was confirmed by skin biopsy and immunohistochemistry, which demonstrated features consistent with MF. The patient was initially treated with a topical steroid, however, owing to an inadequate clinical response, treatment was subsequently changed to a topical calcineurin inhibitor. This case highlights the importance of considering HMF in children with persistent or progressive hypopigmented lesions that do not respond to conventional treatment. Early skin biopsy and immunohistochemical correlation.