PHOTOPHERESIS IN THE RED MAN OR PRE-SEZARY SYNDROME

Background: The beneficial effect of extracorporeal photochemotherapy has clearly been established for patients with cutaneous T-cell lympho ma with Sezary's syndrome. But this treatment has not been used in the red man syndrome or pre-Sezary syndrome. Some of these patients do no t respond sufficiently or do not tolerate other therapies. Objective: The purpose of this open study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy o f photopheresis in this group of patients. Methods: Seven patients wit h the red man syndrome were treated on 2 consecutive days every 4 week s for 6-22 months. Six had been on systemic steroids and 3 had also re ceived retinoids without sufficient effects. All were initially treate d with topical nitrogen mustard but no longer tolerated this treatment . Results: All signs of erythroderma disappeared in 6 of the 7 patient s. All systemic therapy could be discontinued in all but 2 patients. N o side effects were observed. Conclusion: Photopheresis may be an effe ctive alternative treatment for this group of patients, when other typ es of therapy have failed.