Molecular detection of clone-specific DNA in hypopigmented lesions of a patient with early evolving mycosis fungoides.

A specific molecular probe for the malignant lymphoid clone of lesions of a patient with mycosis fungoides was developed. As a clone-specific marker the junctional region of rearranged T-cell-receptor-gamma (TCR-gamma) genes was used. An oligonucleotide primer complementary to these sequences was designed. Using this primer and polymerase chain-reaction technology, early hypopigmented lesions of the patient, which were previously unclassifiable by conventional microscopy, were analysed. The study demonstrates, on the molecular level, that these hypopigmented lesions contain tumour clone-specific DNA and may represent early manifestations of mycosis fungoides.