Combination treatment in CTCL: the current role of bexarotene.

C Delfino, V Grandi, A Pileri, S Rupoli, P Quaglino, R Alterini, G Goteri, L Canafoglia, N Pimpinelli

Division of Dermatology, Department of Critical Care Medicine and Surgery, Italy. nicola.pimpinelli@unifi.it

Giornale italiano di dermatologia e venereologia : organo ufficiale, Società italiana di dermatologia e sifilografia 2012 Dec

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Primary cutaneous T-cell lymphomas are a heterogeneous group of extranodal NH lymphomas primarily presenting in the skin without extracutaneos involvement at diagnosis. Treatment choices closely depend on clinic-pathologic entity and disease stage. Among available choices, oral bexarotene has shown efficacy and safety both in monotherapy and in association with other treatments, by virtue of its versatility and high synergism with alpha-interferon, photochemotherapy (PUVA), and chemotherapy. Moreover, when associated with a wise management of its side effects, bexarotene is well tolerated if used in long-term administration, and it is therefore a good candidate to maintenance treatment after different induction therapies. Recently, the Gruppo Italiano Linfomi Cutanei (GILC) has started some pilot studies, with the aim to investigate bexarotene potential in association with PUVA and single agent chemotherapy (as pegylated liposomal doxorubicin and gemcitabine), and as consolidation/maintenance treatment. The preliminary results of GILC pilot studies confirm the good tolerability and safety of low-intermediate dose bexarotene, and its potential synergism with PUVA and chemotherapy. In addition, its use in consolidation/maintenance has proven efficacy in improving overall response rate.

Citation

C Delfino, V Grandi, A Pileri, S Rupoli, P Quaglino, R Alterini, G Goteri, L Canafoglia, N Pimpinelli. Combination treatment in CTCL: the current role of bexarotene. Giornale italiano di dermatologia e venereologia : organo ufficiale, Società italiana di dermatologia e sifilografia. 2012 Dec;147(6):573-80