Total skin electron beam radiation therapy for mycosis fungoides

Forty-nine patients with biopsy-proven mycosis fungoides, Stages I-IV were treated using total skin electron beam irradiation (TSEBI). Total dose ranged from 600 cGy to 3,200 cGy. To evaluate the dose response relationship, patients were retrospectively divided into two groups. In Group I, 18 patients received a dose of 2,000 cGy or less, and in Group II, 31 patients received more than 2,000 cGy. The overall response rate was 87.7% with a 75.7% complete response and 12.2% partial response. Complete response was higher among patients with early stage disease: (Stage IA 1/1, Stage IB 23/35 (92%), Stage IIA 3/4 (75%), Stage IIB 4/8 (50%), Stage III 3/6 (50%), Stage IVA 1/1, Stage IVB 0/1, and unstaged group 2/3 (66.6%)). Patients treated with a higher total dose had a higher overall 5-year survival rate (Group I 38%, Group II 68%), longer median duration of complete response (Group I, 27 months; Group II, 35.3 months), slightly better complete response rate (72.2% for Group I, 77.4% for Group II), and lower recurrence rate (Group I, 94%; Group II, 83.9%) compared to patients with lower total dose. Complications from TSEBI were minimal. Total skin electron beam irradiation is effective in controlling early stage mycosis fungoides; however, a prospective study to evaluate optimum total dose is needed.