BJH - volume 8, issue 3, june 2017
D. Bron MD, PhD, C. Springael MD, PhD, M. Maerevoet MD, M. de Vicq MD, A. Kolivras MD
SUMMARY
Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma is a heterogeneous group of T-cell neoplasms presenting in the skin, mycosis fungoides being the most common subtype and Sézary syndrome the leukemic form. Treatment is dependant on stage and responses to previous therapy. Treatments are divided into ‘skin-directed therapies’, which are first-line for early stage diseases, and ‘systemic therapies’ reserved for advanced stages or refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. There are currently no curative therapies for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and consecutive treatments have to be given in function of the progression of the disease. There is an urgent need for new therapies to treat symptoms, particularly pruritus and pain, and to prolong survival. This paper summarises new drugs available for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and their mode of action. Most new drugs for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma have response rates between 30% and 50% with response durations being less than a year. New studies looking at combination or maintenance therapies may improve quality of life and disease outcome.
(BELG J HEMATOL 2017;8(3):102–6)
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