Management of cutaneous T-Cell lymphoma patients with extracorporeal photopheresis. The hellenic experience

• Published in: Transfusion and apheresis science 2012-04, Vol.46 (2), p.189-193
• Main Authors: Siakantaris, Marina P, Tsirigotis, Panagiotis, Stavroyianni, Niki, Argyropoulos, Kimon V, Girkas, Konstantinos, Pappa, Vasiliki, Chondropoulos, Spiros, Papadavid, Evangelia, Sakellari, Ioanna, Anagnostopoulos, Achilles, Antoniou, Christina, Dervenoulas, John
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; alpha -Interferon; Combination treatment; Cutaneous lymphomas; Disease-Free Survival; Extracorporeal photopheresis; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Health technology assessment; Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine; Humans; Immunologic Factors - administration & dosage; Immunomodulation; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous - mortality; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous - therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Photopheresis - methods; Skin Neoplasms - mortality; Skin Neoplasms - therapy; Survival; Survival Rate; T-cell lymphoma
• ISSN: 1473-0502; 1878-1683
• DOI: 10.1016/j.transci.2011.10.029

Abstract Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) is an established therapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). The objective of this study was to further explore the clinical efficacy of ECP combined with immunomodulatory agents. Eighteen patients with histologically proven CTCL were followed-up after therapy with ECP, mainly combined with interferon-α or bexarotene. A total of 61% of patients responded to therapy ( n = 11; CR: 5, PR: 6). Median survival was 51 months, progression free survival was 28 months and response duration was 29 ± 23.9 months. ECP combined therapy was highly effective or had a palliative effect in CTCL resistant to previous treatments.