Mycosis fungoides during the COVID-19 pandemic: a teledermatology study

During the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, patients with malignancies like primary cutaneous lymphomas (PCLs) are considered at high risk for severe disease progression given their underlying condition. Mycosis fungoides (MF) is a type of PCL that often needs lifelong treatments, including immunosuppressive drugs that predispose patients to catastrophic COVID-19 outcomes. Accordingly, several issues are to be addressed in the management of patients with MF. First of all, patients with this chronic condition may lose access to healthcare services such as phototherapy and inpatient treatments like electron beam therapy. Secondly, the patients’ anxiety of becoming infected while referring for the follow-up visits might impair their adherence to treatments. Finally, the current situation may affect the management strategies of dermatologists adopted for MF patients. We decided to perform this teledermatology study to assess the clinical condition of patients with MF in our referral center. We also evaluated patients’ perceived anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic based on the Corona Disease Anxiety Scale (CDAS). Our results demonstrated that lockdown could influence adherence to treatment modalities (especially phototherapy) in these patients.