For many people living with moderate-to-severe eczema, the arrival of Dupixent (dupilumab) felt like a turning point. After years of struggling with agonizing itch, cracked skin, and the limitations of steroid creams, this drug offered a path to clear skin and a return to normal life.
However, recent medical studies and reports have raised a serious question for patients: What if the eczema that isn't going away or the new rash that just appeared isn't eczema at all?
At Anapol Weiss, we believe that every patient deserves the full truth about the medications they take. Emerging research suggests a potential link between Dupixent and a rare form of skin cancer called Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL). Because CTCL can look almost identical to a severe eczema flare-up, monitoring your skin for new or persistent lesions has never been more critical.
What is Dupixent and How Does It Actually Work?
If you are taking Dupixent, you may know it as an injection given every few weeks. To understand how it works, it helps to think about how your immune system communicates and regulates itself.
In people with eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, the immune system relies heavily on certain signaling proteins to guide its response. Two of the most important of these signals are Interleukin-4 (IL-4) and Interleukin-13 (IL-13). These proteins help drive the type of immune activity linked to chronic inflammation, itching, and skin barrier disruption.
Dupixent is a biologic medication, meaning it is made using living cells and engineered to interfere with very specific immune pathways. Instead of suppressing the immune system as a whole, Dupixent works by blocking the signals sent by IL-4 and IL-13 before they can trigger downstream immune responses.
By preventing these signals from being received, Dupixent reduces the chain reaction that leads to ongoing inflammation. For many patients, this results in less itching, fewer flare-ups, and clearer skin over time.
However, IL-4 and IL-13 are not only involved in skin inflammation. They also play roles in immune regulation and cellular signaling throughout the body. When a medication alters how immune messages are delivered or received, it can affect how the immune system monitors abnormal cell behavior more broadly.
The immune system plays a key role in identifying and responding to abnormal or damaged cells, including cells that may become cancerous. Because Dupixent changes specific immune signaling pathways, questions remain about how long-term disruption of these pathways could influence immune surveillance over time. Researchers continue to study whether altering IL-4 and IL-13 signaling may affect the body’s ability to detect and respond to certain malignancies, particularly with prolonged use.
The Hidden Risk: What is Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL)?
The concern currently being investigated by medical professionals and legal experts is that Dupixent may inadvertently mask or unmask a rare type of cancer called Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma (CTCL).
CTCL starts in the white blood cells (T-cells) but moves to the skin. Because it manifests on the surface of the body, it often presents as red, scaly patches and intense itching. If those symptoms sound familiar, it’s because they are exactly how severe eczema is described.
This creates a dangerous situation. A patient might start Dupixent for eczema, but if they actually have an early stage of CTCL or if CTCL develops while they are on the drug, the medication might make the cancer look like a stubborn patch of eczema. This can lead to a significant delay in diagnosis, allowing a treatable cancer to progress into something much more dangerous.
Spotting the Difference: Typical Eczema vs. Warning Signs
Because we aren't using graphics, it is important to describe exactly what you should be looking for. While only a doctor can provide a diagnosis through a skin biopsy, you should pay close attention to how your lesions behave while you are on the medication.
Typical Eczema Behavior on Dupixent: Most patients see a significant improvement within the first few months. The all-over itch usually subsides, and the red, weeping patches begin to fade and smooth out.
Potential CTCL Warning Signs (Something More):
- The Stubborn Patch: You might find that 90% of your body clears up, but one or two specific areas stay red, scaly, and thick.
- The Leathery Texture: Be wary of patches that feel thicker than your usual eczema, often described as leathery or plaque-like.
- Mushroom-like Bumps: The appearance of raised, reddish-brown nodules or tumors that don't look like your typical flat eczema rash.
- Unexpected Redness: A sudden, bright red appearance over large parts of the body (sometimes called red man syndrome) that feels hot or painful.
- Swollen Lymph Nodes: Feeling rubbery or enlarged lumps under the skin in your armpits, neck, or groin.
Why Monitoring New Skin Lesions is Critical
Recent studies published in major medical journals have found that some patients treated with dupilumab had a higher risk of being diagnosed with CTCL. In many of these cases, the patients were initially told they simply had treatment-resistant eczema.
If you are on Dupixent and your skin isn't getting better, or if it gets better but then a new, strange-looking rash appears, you should not assume it is just a difficult flare-up.
We recommend keeping a skin diary. Take clear, well-lit photos of your skin once a week. This allows you to show your dermatologist exactly how a specific lesion has changed over time. If a spot isn't responding to the drug while the rest of your body is, that is a red flag that requires immediate medical attention.
The Legal Responsibility of Drug Manufacturers
At Anapol Weiss, our mass tort attorneys are investigating whether the manufacturers of Dupixent (Sanofi and Regeneron) provided adequate warnings to the public.
When a drug company releases a breakthrough medication, they have a legal duty to monitor safety data and update their warning labels as new risks emerge. If a company knows that a drug might mask a cancer diagnosis or alter the immune system in a way that allows cancer to grow, they must tell doctors and patients.
Common issues being raised in Dupixent litigation include:
- Failure to Warn: The drug's label may not have properly alerted dermatologists to screen for CTCL before or during treatment.
- Misleading Safety Claims: Promoting the drug as having a clean safety profile without disclosing the potential for serious immune system imbalances.
- Loss of Treatment Time: Because the drug can hide the symptoms of cancer, many victims lose months or years of time when they could have been receiving life-saving cancer treatments.
What Should You Do Now?
If you are currently taking Dupixent and are concerned about your skin, do not stop taking your medication without consulting your doctor. Stopping a biologic drug abruptly can cause a rebound effect, where your eczema returns much worse than before.
Instead, follow these steps to protect your health and your rights:
- Schedule a Full-Body Scan: Ask your dermatologist for a comprehensive skin check and specifically mention your concerns about CTCL.
- Ask for a Biopsy: If you have a persistent patch of skin that isn't healing, ask your doctor if a skin biopsy is necessary to rule out lymphoma.
- Keep Your Records: Save your prescription receipts and medical records, and continue taking photos of any suspicious skin changes.
Seeking Justice with Anapol Weiss
If you or a loved one used Dupixent and were later diagnosed with Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, Mycosis Fungoides, or Sézary Syndrome, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, and the impact on your quality of life.
The legal team at Anapol Weiss has decades of experience holding the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies accountable. We understand the complex science behind biologic drugs, and we are committed to ensuring that medical innovation never comes at the cost of patient safety.
Contact Us for a Free Consultation
Your health is your most important asset. If it has been compromised by a lack of transparency from a drug manufacturer, we are here to help you fight back.
Visit our contact page to schedule a free, confidential case evaluation. You can also call us at 215-735-1130 to speak with a member of our legal team about your options.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. It should not be considered as legal advice. For personalized legal assistance, please consult our team directly.
