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Skin changes that can be a sign of lymphoma | CION Cancer Clinics
Lymphoma can affect the skin in two ways. It can cause itching over much of the body with no rash, and some lymphomas start in the skin itself as scaly patches, raised areas or firm lumps that look like eczema, psoriasis or ringworm. Most rashes are not lymphoma. A patch that keeps returning despite treatment is a reason to ask for a skin biopsy. At CION Cancer Clinics, our haematology team plans myeloma and lymphoma care with you, discussed at a tumour board and explained in plain words.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Basudev PokhrelConsultant Haematologist · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- Can lymphoma show up on the skin?
- What do skin changes from lymphoma look like?
- When should a rash be looked at more closely?
- How is lymphoma of the skin found?
- Which words might appear on a skin biopsy report?
- What do people often believe about a rash that will not clear?
- What can this page not tell you?
- Common questions about lymphoma and the skin
The short answer
Can lymphoma show up on the skin?
Yes, in two main ways. Lymphoma elsewhere in the body can cause itching with no rash, and some lymphomas start in the skin itself as patches, raised areas or lumps that are easily mistaken for eczema, psoriasis or a fungal infection.
Itching without a rash
Itching over much of the body, often worse at night and with nothing to see on the skin, is a known symptom of Hodgkin lymphoma and some other lymphomas. Scratching can leave marks, but the itch comes first. It is far more often caused by dry skin, allergies, liver or kidney problems, or thyroid problems, so it is one clue to be read with others.
Lymphoma that starts in the skin
Skin lymphomas are lymphomas that begin in immune cells living in the skin. The most common kind is called mycosis fungoides. It usually grows very slowly, over years, and often looks like an ordinary skin condition for a long time. Other skin lymphomas appear as one or more firm lumps. These are uncommon conditions, and most rashes are not lymphoma.
Skin lymphoma is a different illness from skin cancers such as melanoma. It is treated by haematologists and skin specialists together.What people notice
What do skin changes from lymphoma look like?
On brown skin, these areas can look darker, lighter or greyish rather than red, which makes them easier to overlook.
Flat patches
Scaly, dry patches, often on areas the sun does not reach, such as the buttocks, hips, thighs or trunk. They may itch and can look like eczema or ringworm.
Raised, thicker areas
Patches that become firmer and slightly raised, sometimes with a clear edge. Doctors call these plaques.
Lumps in the skin
Firm, smooth bumps that can be skin-coloured, pink, purple or dark, and that may grow or break open.
Changes across the whole body
Less often, the skin becomes red or dark, thick and itchy almost everywhere.
Tell the doctor about
- Peeling skin on palms or soles
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Night sweats or weight loss
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When should a rash be looked at more closely?
Usually a common skin condition
Worth asking about a skin biopsy
Clears with the creams you were prescribed
Keeps returning or spreading despite treatment
Came on after a new soap, food or medicine
No trigger you can find
Flat and stays the same
Thickening into raised areas or lumps
You otherwise feel well
Swollen nodes, night sweats or weight loss too
Finding the cause
How is lymphoma of the skin found?
Examination of all your skin
A skin specialist looks at every patch, including hidden areas, and feels for swollen nodes. Photographs help track changes over time.
A skin biopsy
A small piece of skin is removed under local anaesthetic, usually with a round cutting tool. It leaves a tiny wound that heals with a small mark.
Special tests on the sample
The pathologist uses stains and sometimes genetic tests to see which immune cells are present. Early skin lymphoma is hard to recognise, so more than one biopsy is often needed.
Blood tests and scans
If lymphoma is confirmed, blood tests and sometimes a scan check whether it is only in the skin or elsewhere too.
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On your report
Which words might appear on a skin biopsy report?
- Cutaneous lymphoma
- Lymphoma that starts in the skin. Cutaneous simply means of the skin.
- Mycosis fungoides
- The most common skin lymphoma, a slow-growing T-cell type. Despite the name, it has nothing to do with a fungus.
- T-cell and B-cell
- The two main families of immune cell. Which one the lymphoma comes from shapes how it behaves and how it is treated.
- Sézary syndrome
- A rarer T-cell lymphoma where the whole skin is affected and the abnormal cells are also found in the blood.
- Punch biopsy
- A small round sample of skin taken with a cutting tool about the size of a pencil end.
Commonly believed
What do people often believe about a rash that will not clear?
"It is ringworm. We will try a stronger cream."
Many people use one antifungal or steroid cream after another for years. Steroid creams can calm a skin lymphoma for a while and hide it. If a patch keeps coming back, ask for a biopsy rather than a new cream.
"A rash means lymphoma has spread to the skin."
Usually not. Most skin lymphomas start in the skin and stay there for a long time. And most itchy rashes in people with lymphoma are caused by something else, such as dry skin or a reaction to a medicine.
"The first biopsy was normal, so it is not lymphoma."
Early skin lymphoma can look like ordinary inflammation under the microscope. If the patches continue, a repeat biopsy is a normal part of the process, not a sign that something went wrong.
"Skin lymphoma can pass to others by touch."
It cannot. Lymphoma is not an infection. Family members can share towels, beds and meals as usual.
Being straight with you
What can this page not tell you?
This page cannot tell you what your rash is. Photographs and descriptions cannot separate skin lymphoma from eczema, psoriasis or fungal infection. A skin specialist's examination and a biopsy can.
It cannot tell you the outlook
Skin lymphomas range from very slow conditions that stay in the skin for many years to faster types that need prompt treatment. The type on the biopsy report, how much skin is affected and whether nodes or blood are involved shape the outlook. A haematologist explains your own picture once the tests are done.
Who to see first
A dermatologist, a skin specialist, is the right first step for a patch or lump that will not clear. If you also have swollen lymph nodes, night sweats or weight loss, mention these clearly, because they may point to lymphoma elsewhere in the body. Bring a list of every cream and medicine you have used on the rash.
Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine or cream on your own because of this page. Discuss it with the doctor who prescribed it.Questions we are asked
Common questions about lymphoma and the skin
Does lymphoma itching come with a rash?
Often it does not. The itching linked with Hodgkin lymphoma is usually felt over large areas with little or nothing to see, apart from scratch marks. A visible rash that itches is more often a skin condition, though skin lymphomas can itch too. A doctor will look at both the skin and the lymph nodes.
Where on the body does skin lymphoma usually start?
Mycosis fungoides often begins in areas covered by clothes, such as the buttocks, hips, lower belly, thighs and under the breasts. It can appear anywhere, though. Lumps from other skin lymphomas are often found on the head, trunk or legs.
How long can skin lymphoma look like eczema?
For some people, years. Mycosis fungoides grows very slowly, and in its early stage it can look and behave much like eczema or psoriasis. This is why doctors suggest a biopsy for a patch that keeps returning in the same places despite treatment.
Does a skin biopsy hurt?
The area is numbed with a small injection first, which stings briefly. After that you should feel pressure but not sharp pain. The wound may be closed with a stitch or two and is usually sore for a few days. Ask how to care for it and when stitches come out.
Can a child get skin lymphoma?
It is rare in children, and most rashes in children have common causes. A child with a patch that keeps returning despite treatment, or with lumps in the skin and swollen nodes, should be seen by a paediatrician or skin specialist, who can decide whether a biopsy is needed.
Is skin lymphoma treated with chemotherapy?
Not usually at first. Early skin lymphoma is often treated with skin-directed treatments such as creams, light therapy or radiotherapy to the skin. Treatment that works through the whole body is used for more advanced types. Your haematologist and skin specialist decide together, based on the type and extent.
Could my rash be a reaction to lymphoma treatment instead?
If you are already being treated for lymphoma, a new rash is more often a reaction to a medicine or an infection than the lymphoma itself. Tell your treating team about it promptly, with a photo if possible. If the rash comes with fever or blistering, seek care the same day.
Can CION help with a skin biopsy report?
Yes. Call the helpline with your biopsy report and any photographs of the skin. If lymphoma is confirmed or suspected, CION's haematology team reviews the case, discusses it at a tumour board, and coordinates with skin specialists on the plan.
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Sources
- American Cancer Society — Lymphoma of the skin
- National Cancer Institute — Mycosis fungoides and other cutaneous T-cell lymphomas treatment (PDQ), patient version
- Cancer Research UK — Symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society — Lymphoma
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
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