Results of radiotherapy in minimal stage mycosis fungoides : a reappraisal after ten years

BACKGROUND: Mycosis Fungoides (MF) is the most common cutaneous T cell lymphoma, accounting for 54-72 % of cases. When it presents as solitary or oligolesional picture, radiotherapy is considered potentially curative. To verify this we decided to evaluate the outcome in 15 patients studied in the period 1990-2007 after ten years. METHODS: The files of the patients were revised and they were recalled for a control. Two new cases were added. On the whole 17 patients were studied. All patients underwent histopathological ascertainment and staging investigations. All lesions were treated with conventional radiation therapy with a median dose of 25 Gy. RESULTS: After 1 month from the end of radiotherapy, complete remission (CR) occurred in 22 treatment fields (95, 6%) and partial remission(PR) in one (4,4%). Radiotherapy was always well tolerated. At the last recorded visit (median follow up 130 months) 15 patients were alive without disease, and two had localized evidence of MF lesions, with a total 5-year cure-rate of 63.24% and of 66.71% if referred to the original updated series. None of the patients showed progression of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that radiation therapy in the treatment of minimal stage MF contributes to afford good and durable results with negligible side effects and maintenance of good quality of life over the time.