Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) is relatively benign in its early stages, but survival rates decrease dramatically as the disease progresses. The goal of therapy in CTCL is preventing or delaying progression from the early disease stage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of bath-PUVA therapy on patients with early stage mycosis fungoides (MF). Twenty-seven patients with MF, who were treated with bath-PUVA in Nagoya City University Hospital from 2004 to 2007, were included in this study. Peripheral blood samples and skin biopsies were obtained before and after the therapies. The clinical efficacy, CD4
+ cell infiltration into skin lesions, serum IL-2R and serum LDH were evaluated before and after bath-PUVA therapy. Bath-PUVA induced significant remission in 24 patients with mycosis fungoides (89%). All parameters were significantly reduced by this therapy. In conclusion, our data indicate that bath-PUVA therapy is useful in preventing and delaying progression of mycosis fungoides.
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