Case Report

Treatment of Transformed Mycosis Fungoides with Intermittent Low-Dose Gemcitabine
Omar Awar^a, Madeleine Duvic<sup>b

a</sup>Department of Internal Medicine, UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, Calif., and
^bDepartment of Dermatology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Tex., USA

Address of Corresponding Author

Oncology 2007;73:130-135 (DOI: 10.1159/000121002)

  Key Words

• Lymphoma, non-Hodgkin
• Lymphoma, cutaneous T cell
• Gemcitabine
• Gemzar®
• Mycosis fungoides
• Lymphoma, large cell

  Abstract

The malignant helper T cells of mycosis fungoides, a type of cutaneous T cell lymphoma, are capable of transforming into large cerebriform cells. Large cell transformation usually renders the disease more resistant to treatment and prone to relapse. Currently investigated treatment modalities for transformed mycosis fungoides are few and include phototherapy, chemotherapy, biologic response modification, targeted molecular therapy and combinations thereof. A tolerable and reliable modality has yet to be identified. Gemcitabine, a novel purine analogue, is gaining recognition as a potent agent for advanced nontransformed cutaneous T cell lymphoma. Here we present a brief review of the literature with 3 illustrative cases that additionally reveal gemcitabine monotherapy to be a practical, safe and efficacious option for mycosis fungoides that has undergone large cell transformation.

Copyright © 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Omar Awar
Department of Internal Medicine, UCLA Medical Center
1441 Veteran Avenue, Unit #127
Los Angeles, CA 90024 (USA)
Tel. +1 409 790 1459, Fax +1 713 745 3597, E-Mail omar.awar@gmail.com

  Article Information

Received: September 3, 2007
Accepted: September 3, 2007
Published online: March 13, 2008
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 4, Number of Tables : 0, Number of References : 30