Narrowband (311-nm) UV-B therapy for small plaque parapsoriasis and early-stage mycosis fungoides.
BACKGROUND
Broadband UV-B phototherapy has been used for many years in the treatment of small plaque parapsoriasis (SPP) and early-stage mycosis fungoides (MF). Our purpose was to investigate the effect on these diseases of narrowband (311-nm) UV-B therapy, which was recently established for the treatment of psoriasis and found to be more effective than broadband UV-B therapy.


METHODS
Twenty patients (5 women, 15 men; age range, 39-85 years) with histologically confirmed SPP or early-stage MF were enrolled. Six patients had early-stage MF (patch stage), and 14 had SPP. Treatment with 311-nm UV-B was given 3 to 4 times a week for 5 to 10 weeks. In 19 patients, lesions completely cleared after a mean number of 20 treatments (range, 14-29 treatments) and a mean cumulative UV-B dose of 16.3J/cm2 (range, 7.4-36.4 J/cm2) within a mean time of 6 weeks (range, 5-10 weeks). Biopsy specimens taken immediately after the end of phototherapy showed only sparse inflammatory infiltrates but no signs of SPP or MF. Relapses at cutaneous sites occurred in all patients within a mean time of 6 months (range, 2-15 months).


CONCLUSIONS
Narrowband UV-B therapy is an effective short-term treatment modality for clearing SPP and early-stage MF. However, the treatment response did not sustain long-term remission. Further studies are necessary to examine how the clinical response to and follow-up after narrowband UV-B therapy compares with that of established phototherapy modalities in these diseases.
Hofer
A
A
Department of Dermatology, University of Graz, Austria.
Cerroni
L
L
Kerl
H
H
Wolf
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001706:Biopsy; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology; D010267:Parapsoriasis / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012008:Recurrence; D012074:Remission Induction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000379:methods*