TOPLINE:

A population-based study of more than 2000 histologically confirmed cases found that the age-adjusted incidence of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) in the US among young people younger than 29 years rose from 0.57 to 1.67 per 1,000,000 between 1997 and 2019, with an average annual percent change (AAPC) of 4.62%.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers analyzed 2183 histologically confirmed cases of CTCL diagnosed in patients aged 0-29 years between 1997 and 2019 using the National Childhood Cancer Registry.
• Annual incidence rates per 1,000,000 person-years were calculated and age-adjusted to the 2000 US standard population.
• Joinpoint regression analysis was used to assess trends from 1997 to 2019, calculating the APC for individual joinpoints and the AAPC for the entire study period.

TAKEAWAY:

• Overall, the age-adjusted incidence rate per million increased from 0.57 in 1997 to 1.67 in 2019, an AAPC of 4.62% (P < .001) during that time.
• The largest rise occurred in children ≤14 years (AAPC, 6.57%, P < .001) and among Hispanic individuals (AAPC, 6.04%); men had a larger increase than women (AAPC, 5.81% vs 2.61%).
• The subtype with the greatest increase was primary cutaneous CD30+ T-cell lymphoproliferative disorder (AAPC, 14.89%).
• Incidence increases were seen with both localized disease (AAPC, 6.98%, P < .001) and regional or distant disease (AAPC, 4.71%, P < .001).

IN PRACTICE:

“Further research is needed to better understand the factors driving the rising incidence of CTCL in pediatric and young adult populations in the US,” the study authors wrote, noting that to the best of their knowledge, this was the first study to analyze trends in the incidence of CTCL in these age groups. “Given the limited availability of pediatric dermatologists in the US,” they added, “it is essential that both pediatric and dermatologic providers recognize the rising incidence of CTCL in pediatric populations to facilitate timely referral and intervention.”

SOURCE:

The study was led by Daniel Kim, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and was published online on February 11 in a letter in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

LIMITATIONS:

The study did not evaluate the impact of healthcare access, potential delays in diagnosis, the influence of sociodemographic factors, and treatment history.

DISCLOSURES:

The study did not receive any funding. Kim reported receiving consulting fees from Verve Therapeutics and SeQure Dx, Inc. Another author also disclosed receiving consulting fees and honoraria from many companies, including Bayer, Seattle Genetics, and Sanofi.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.