Topical 5-ALA photodynamic therapy for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Therapeutic options for cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) include topical steroids, topical chemotherapy and phototherapy. Patients with limited disease that is unresponsive to these therapies present a particular challenge. We report successful treatment of a patient with two plaques of CTCL using topical photodynamic therapy (PDT). 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ALA) was applied 6-24 h preillumination with 100 J/cm2 red light. Treatment was repeated on four occasions with clinical and histological clearance. ALA-PDT may be a useful addition to the therapeutic options for CTCL. Further studies are required to define optimal treatment protocols.