Total skin electron beam therapy for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: Turkish experience with translational technique

Mycosis fungoides is the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. In our department, between January 1995 to January 2001, we treated eleven patients with mycosis fungoides by total body skin electron irradiation to evaluate its influence. According to our knowledge, our department is the only center in Turkey capable of applying total skin electron beam therapy. Total skin electron beam therapy was applied by using the "translational technique". Daily doses (4 Gray) were given in a total of seven fractions according to the conventional fractionation scheme. There were 6 patients with stage I disease, 3 patients with stage II and 2 patients with stage IV disease. Except stage IV patients, we obtained good cutaneous results. According to our observation, in early stage mycosis fungoides total body skin electron irradiation can provide good cutaneous response, but for stage IV only moderate pallation can be obtained.