Combined moderate dose electron beam radiotherapy and topical chemotherapy for cutaneous t-cell lymphoma

Between October, 1978 and June, 1979, nine patients with biopsy-proven cutaneous T-Cell lymphoma were treated with combined total-skin electron beam radiation (TSEB) and topical chemotherapy. TSEB was administered using 3.8 MeV electron and dual exposure technique. All patients received skin dose of 400 rad once weekly to a total dose of 2000 to 2400 rad followed by topical chemotherapy with mechlorethamine hydrochloride (HN2)^* two to four weeks after completion of radiation. A complete response followed TSEB in seven of nine patients, but a relapse of disease activity has subsequently occurred within the first year for all the patients despite adjunct therapy, except for one patient who remains disease free for more than 21 months. Generalized severe erythema developed during or shortly after completion of radiation in six of nine patients, with blistering at the overlapping treatment fields and body folds in four patients. In addition four patients developed diffuse permanent telangiectasia of skin and one patient developed linear sclerosis, telangiectasis and painful ischemic ulceration on the fingertips two years after completion of electron beam therapy. Most patients had evidence of mild depression of lymphocyte responsiveness to Phytohemagglutinin after TSEB. Our conclusion is that the short-term benefits and convenience of this particular technique do not justify the acute and chronic toxicity encountered.