Figure 1.

Summary of proposed potential etiologic triggers/promoters for CTCL include medications, viruses, low levels of vitamin D, Mycobacterium leprae, Chlamydia pneumonia, and Staphylococcus aureus. Recent evidence documents that S. Aureus enterotoxin type A (SEA) triggers non-malignant infiltrating T cells to release IL-2 and other cytokines that upon binging to their cognate receptors on malignant T cells are able to activate STAT3 and STAT5 oncogene signaling and promote cancer progression and IL-17 secretion.