ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Giornale Italiano di Dermatologia e Venereologia 2005 April;140(2):123-7

Copyright © 2005 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English, Italian

Topical photodynamic therapy in cutaneous lymphomas

Mori M. ¹, Mavilia L. ¹, Campolmi P. ¹, Rossi R. ¹, Cappugi P. ¹, Pimpinelli N. ²

¹ Physical Therapy Unit University of Florence, Florence, Italy 2 Department of Dermatological Sciences University of Florence, Florence, Italy

Aim. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment based upon the accumulation of a photosensitizing compound in the target cells and their selective destruction by irradiation with visible light. We report herein about the PDT treatment of 5 patients.
Methods. Five patients were treated with PDT: 1 with MF stage IIB, relapsing with localized tumours in the upper inner right thigh after radiotherapy and chemotherapy (gemcitabine); 1 with primary cutaneous PTL-U, relapsing with a single, extending plaque in the inner right thigh, close to the area successfully treated with local radiotherapy and chemotherapy at presentation; 3 with indolent cutaneous B-cell lymphoma, marginal zone lymphoma type, presenting with localized plaques of the left flank, anterior chest and face, were treated with PDT as first line therapy.
Results. The treatment was well tolerated by all patients without local anesthetics.
Conclusion. Our preliminary experience seems to confirm the possible usefulness of PDT as a further tool in the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, based upon stage-adapted therapies like PUVA, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and – more recently – novel retinoids (like bexarotene) and immunotoxins, as palliative treatment in selected cases of pretreated, stage IIB MF and PTL-U.