All canine diagnoses

Your dog was diagnosed with Cutaneous Lymphoma. Uncommon form of lymphoma. Epitheliotropic form (mycosis fungoides-like) is T-cell in origin and more common. Non-epitheliotropic form has better prognosis. Can mimic dermatologic conditions, causing diagnostic delay. NOTE: No dedicated clinical trials for canine cutaneous lymphoma were identified as of March 2026. This represents a genuinely underserved area of veterinary oncology research. The ORBIT trial (University of Minnesota) accepts aggressive lymphoma broadly but is not cutaneous-specific. Compare 4 treatment options for dogs including CCNU (Lomustine), Verdinexor (Laverdia-CA1), Isotretinoin (Retinoid Therapy) — with survival times, costs, and what to expect during treatment.

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Cutaneous Lymphoma

canine

Round Cell

About This Cancer

Cutaneous lymphoma is an uncommon form of lymphoma that affects the skin rather than the internal lymph nodes. The most common type, called epitheliotropic lymphoma (similar to mycosis fungoides in humans), arises from T-lymphocytes that invade the outer layers of the skin. It typically progresses slowly at first, often mimicking common skin diseases such as dermatitis or allergies, which can delay diagnosis. As the disease advances, patches and plaques may develop into raised nodules and ulcers. A less common non-epitheliotropic form arises from B-lymphocytes and tends to have a somewhat better outlook. Cutaneous lymphoma is generally a chronic, progressive disease that is managed rather than cured, with treatments aimed at controlling symptoms and slowing progression.

Modified WHO Staging for Cutaneous Lymphoma

Staging based on extent of skin involvement, lymph node status, and systemic disease.

Stage T1Limited patches/plaques (<10% body surface)
Stage T2Generalised patches/plaques (>10% body surface)
Stage T3Cutaneous tumours (nodular disease)
Stage T4Erythroderma (generalised)
Prognostic Factors(1)
Subtype: epitheliotropic vs non-epitheliotropicEpitheliotropic CTCL has significantly worse prognosis (MST 141 days) compared to non-epitheliotropic (MST 374 days)(Azuma et al., 2022)
Minimum Workup(6 steps)
1CRITICAL WARNING: Avoid administering prednisolone/prednisone BEFORE obtaining biopsy/cytology — corticosteroids can induce multi-drug resistance (MDR) and cause rapid tumour lysis, making subsequent histopathological diagnosis difficult or impossible. Complete diagnostic workup BEFORE starting any corticosteroid therapy.
2Skin biopsy with histopathology (essential for diagnosis and subtyping)
3Immunohistochemistry for immunophenotype
4CBC and biochemistry
5Staging workup (thoracic radiographs, abdominal ultrasound, lymph node aspirates) to assess for systemic involvement
6Complete dermatologic examination to document extent of cutaneous disease

Median Survival Time Comparison

How long the average patient survives with each treatment

Bar opacity reflects evidence strength
CCNU (Lomustine)
~5 mo (3–12)
Verdinexor (Laverdia-CA1)
See notes
Isotretinoin (Retinoid Therapy)
See notes
Radiation Therapy (Localised CTCL)
See notes
Reading this page: MST (Median Survival Time) is how long the average patient survives with a given treatment. ORR (Overall Response Rate) is the percentage of patients whose tumour shrank or disappeared. CR = Complete Response (tumour gone); PR = Partial Response (tumour shrank). Hover over any abbreviation for a quick explanation.
Strength of Evidence

Each treatment is rated by how much published research supports its use. Solid bars indicate stronger evidence; dashed bars mean less certainty.

StrongLarge published studies with strong agreement among veterinary oncologists.
ModerateWidely used in clinical practice, but supported by smaller or retrospective studies.
IndirectEvidence comes from a different tumour type or species and has been applied here.
LimitedVery little published data is available for this specific treatment.

Please note: All treatment data is sourced from published peer-reviewed literature. Survival times and cost figures are approximate guides. Your pet's individual factors — including tumour grade, stage, and overall health — will influence outcomes and should guide all treatment decisions. The strength-of-evidence rating reflects how much research exists, not how strongly a treatment is recommended. This tool is designed to help you have informed conversations with your veterinary oncologist, not to replace them. Costs shown are US referral centre estimates and may vary significantly by region.