Results of photochemotherapy in a series of 47 patients with mycosis fungoides

: Oral photochemotherapy has been employed in the treatment of mycosis fungoides for more than 13 years. The Authors report their 9 year experience in a series of 47 patients affected by mycosis fungoides and treated by means of PUVA-therapy. All the patients were staged according to TNM system. 81.5% of 38 cases in the I stage of the disease obtained a complete remission, as did 50% of 6 cases in the II stage and one patient out of 3 in the III stage. Photochemotherapy seems to give satisfactory results mainly in the first stages of the disease. In fact, 45% of the patients who had obtained complete remission ot the end of the treatment were still free from disease after 5 years. Photochemotherapy, which in this series has not shown any important side effect, is a safe non-aggressive therapeutic choice in the management of the first stages of mycosis fungoides.