[Chemotherapy of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas with arotinoid]

Five patients with T-cell lymphoma of the skin (mycosis fungoides; Sézary syndrome) were given parenterally arotinoid ethyl ester (Ro 13-6298) at a daily dose of 0.5-4.0 micrograms/kg body weight, to a total dose of 20 mg over maximally 31 weeks. In three patients, among them one with tumourous mycosis fungoides, there was complete regression of the cutaneous lesions. In another patient the cutaneous changes, some of them with ulceration, regressed so that there were only residual infiltrates. In the case of the Sézary syndrome there was no response. Most important side-effects of treatment were cheilitis, moist and sticky skin, paronychia and dry mucosae. The most serious side-effect was pain in muscles, joints and bones. There were no significant changes in biochemical values during the treatment.