Navigating My Diagnosis

Diagnosis & Staging

"Why did it take so long to be diagnosed?" This is a frequent question many patients and their loved ones ask. Learning more about how cutaneous lymphoma is diagnosed can help relieve some of that frustration. It is also important to understanding how staging cutaneous lymphoma differs from other types of lymphoma and what role it plays in treatment.

Navigating My Disease

OBTAINING A PROPER CUTANEOUS LYMPHOMA DIAGNOSIS
Uncommon diseases pose a number of challenges, including difficulty getting an accurate diagnosis. A definitive diagnosis will help inform treatment decisions and potentially yield better patient-related outcomes over time.
Answers from the Experts

CUTANEOUS LYMPHOMAS: DIAGNOSIS AND STAGING
Overview of how cutaneous lymphoma is diagnosed and classified; plus an explanation of staging. 

Overview of Cutaneous Lymphomas Including Diagnosis & Staging
September 2020 - A discussion covering the topics of the immune system and how it relates to cutaneous lymphoma, how cutaneous lymphoma is diagnosed, and an explanation of the staging system for cutaneous lymphoma.
Patient Resources

Webinar: Biopsy Results
May 2021 - Dr. Pei-Ling Chen provided a presentation on biopsy results. Learn more about what your doctors are looking for, how they read the results, and what that means for you.

Clinician:
Pei-Ling Chen, MD, PhD, Dermatopathologist, Moffitt Cancer Center
Navigating My Disease

Modified Severity-Weighted Assessment Tool (mSWAT)
The mSWAT (Modified Severity-Weighted Assessment Tool) is one of several tools a health care provider uses to monitor active cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Learn more about what it measures and how.
Navigating My Disease

Lab Tests in Staging Cutaneous Lymphoma
Laboratory studies are an important part of accurate diagnosis of cutaneous lymphomas.
Answers from the Experts

EARLY STAGE DISEASE Q&A
A question and answer session related to early stage cutaneous lymphoma. Question topics include:
-How do I know my stage? Will my stage change?
-What prompts a skin biopsy?
-Why does it take so long to diagnose?
-What is proper skin care?
-Do patches and plaques present themselves differently?
-Does the disease always need to be treated with early-stage?
-Is it common to feel "uncomfortable" and "lethargic"?
-How does the relationship between the clinical and pathology effect diagnosis?

Recorded at the 2017 2-Day Patient Conference in New York, NY.

Navigating My Disease

Staging Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma
Staging describes how much of the body is affected by cutaneous lymphoma and where. Identifying your stage is important in determining appropriate treatment.
Answers from the Experts

FUTURE DIRECTIONS IN T-CELL CUTANEOUS LYMPHOMA
Advances are being made in improving diagnostic tools. Dr. Christiane Quelfeld presents what has become available and what the future holds.
Answers from the Experts

Why are so many skin biopsies required?