Phase II trial of interferon-alpha-2a plus psolaren with ultraviolet light A in patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma
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Vanna Chiarion-Sileni1, Antonio Bononi, Cleto Veller Fornasa
1Division of Medical Oncology, Azienda Ospedaliera-Università, Via Giustiniani 2, 35123 Padua, Italy. mgaliz@tiscalinet.it
Purpose:
To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of psolaren with ultraviolet light A (PUVA) and interferon-alpha-2a (IFN-alpha-2a) in patients with mycosis fungoides (MF) and Sézary syndrome (SS).
Patients And Methods:
From May 1993 to January 1999, 63 symptomatic patients with all stages of MF and SS were treated in a prospective Phase II trial with systemic escalating doses of IFN-alpha-2a combined with PUVA for 1 year, followed by indefinite PUVA maintenance in complete responding patients.
Results:
Sixty-three patients were enrolled (Stage IA, n = 6; IB, n = 37; IIA, n = 3; IIB, n = 3; III, n = 12; IVA, n = 2). Ten patients had received previous therapy. The median follow-up duration for the entire cohort is 37 months. Of 63 patients, 51 achieved a complete response (CR; 74.6%) or partial response (PR; 6%) to therapy. The median response duration is 32 months. The 5-year overall survival rate is 91% and the 5-year disease-free survival rate is 75%. No life-threatening side effects were observed. Five patients stopped IFN-alpha-2a therapy due to toxicity. Eighty-four percent of the patients received more than 75% of the planned dose (12 million units three times a week).
Conclusions:
This combination of IFN-alpha-2a and phototherapy is an effective and safe therapy for patients with symptomatic MF.