title: Long-term follow-up of early mycosis fungoides patients treated with narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Narrowband ultraviolet B (UVB) provides complete response (CR) in 54-91% of early mycosis fungoides (MF) patients. Data concerning relapse rate and relapse-free interval after discontinuation of therapy need clarification. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relapse rate and the relapse-free intervals of early MF patients after achieving complete response with narrowband UVB phototherapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective evaluation of data, which belong to early MF patients treated with narrowband UVB phototherapy between May 2000 and July 2010, and followed-up until May 2012 in a single institution, for the occurrence of relapse and the time to relapse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 31 patients, who were followed-up for a mean of 56.5 ± 30.2 months (median 55 months, range 20-120 months), relapse was observed in 11 (35.5%) patients, within a mean of 28.8 ± 18.2 months (median 33 months, range 4-59 months), whereas 20 (64.5%) patients stayed relapse-free for a mean of 54.2 ± 28.8 months (median 55.5 months, range 20-119 months). Patients received maintenance phototherapy with a median duration of 12 months (range 1-30 months) after achieving complete response.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate that narrowband UVB phototherapy may induce low relapse rates and long relapse-free intervals for early MF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Gonca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Elcin
authors.forename: Nilay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Duman
authors.forename: Sevilay
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karahan
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ersoy-Evans
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erkin
authors.forename: Aysen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karaduman
authors.forename: Asli
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hapa
authors.forename: Nilgün
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Atakan
authors.forename: Tulin
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akan
authors.forename: Sedef
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009182:Mycosis Fungoides / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014467:Ultraviolet Therapy / Q000379:methods*