There are 16,000 to 20,000 cases across the United States and approximately 3,000 cases across Canada. Due to the difficulty of diagnosing the disease in its early stages, these numbers are inexact. One of the problems in describing this disease is that it doesn't look the same for all patients. Patches, plaques and tumors are the clinical names of the different presentations. MF patches are often mistaken for eczema, psoriasis or non-specific dermatitis until a proper diagnosis of MF is made.
Plaques are thicker, raised lesions.
A common characteristic is itching, although many patients do not experience itching. It is possible to have one or all three of these phases. Some people have had the disease for many years and have only dealt with one presentation. The course of mycosis fungoides is unpredictable. Some patients will progress, slowly, rapidly, or not at all.