[Treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas with bexarotene].
BACKGROUND
The choice of treatment in cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCLs) depends on the clinical stage of the disease and the patient's general condition. To date, there is no curative treatment for this disease, and the objective is to control the symptoms and prevent the disease from progressing. Bexarotene is an X receptor-specific retinoid with anti-tumor activity. Its use as treatment for CTCLs refractory to at least one prior systemic therapy has been approved by the FDA.


METHODS
We carried out a descriptive study of 9 patients treated with bexarotene in the Lymphoma Unit of our department. We analyzed the clinical characteristics of the patients and the efficacy of the treatment, and we collected data on the side effects that appeared.


RESULTS
The overall response to the treatment was 44.4% (4/9). 2 patients had full remission and 2 had partial remission. Tolerance to the treatment was good, and the most frequent side effects were hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia and central hypothyroidism.


CONCLUSIONS
Even though this is a series of only 9 patients, the results that we obtained are similar to ones previously described. Bexarotene is an effective therapeutic option in this heterogeneous group of diseases.
Servicio de Dermatología, Hospital de Cruces, Bilbao, Spain. olatz@aedv.es
Olatz
O
Lasa
Rosa
R
Izu
Elvira
E
Acebo
Patricia
P
Eguino
José L
JL
Díaz-Pérez
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077610:Bexarotene; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016410:Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D013764:Tetrahydronaphthalenes; D000077610:Bexarotene