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CTCL treatment options
While there is no cure for CTCL, there are different therapies to help you manage your disease. Let’s review some treatment approaches and how they work.
Topical treatments are applied or directed to your skin. This approach helps manage itching, lesions, and other skin-related symptoms of CTCL.
Topical treatments include:- Steroids: Creams or ointments that help lessen inflammation
- Topical chemotherapy: A lotion or cream with anti-cancer medication
- Nitrogen mustard: An ointment that helps slow or stop the growth of cancer cells
- Retinoids: Creams that can help improve skin lesions and symptoms
- Radiation: High-energy beams used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors
- Phototherapy: UV (ultraviolet) light that helps decrease inflammation and control skin symptoms
Systemic treatments act throughout your whole body. These treatments can be taken by mouth, injection, or intravenous (IV) infusion.
Systemic treatments include:- Steroids: A tablet that helps lessen inflammation
- Retinoids: A pill treatment, similar to vitamin A, that helps improve skin lesions
- Monoclonal antibodies: Molecules created in a laboratory that aim at a specific target (or antigen) on a cancer cell's surface. Developed to fight specific cancers including CTCL
- Extracorporeal photopheresis: A procedure that filters white blood cells through ultraviolet (UV) light. Treated cells are then put back (re-infused) into the body
- Interferon: An injection that has anti-cancer effects and boosts the immune system
- Chemotherapy: An infusion, injection, or pill treatment that uses drugs to stop or slow the growth of rapidly dividing cancer cells
- Allogeneic stem cell transplant: Although uncommon, this treatment can potentially offer a cure. In an allogeneic stem cell transplant, stem cells are collected from the bone marrow or blood of a healthy donor and transplanted to provide new and healthy cells
Combination treatments
Doctors may sometimes recommend a combination treatment method, which means using any 2 or more therapies together, to help manage symptoms and slow the spread of disease. Sometimes, clinical trials, also called research studies, that test experimental treatments can be an additional option. Always consult with your care team to explore treatment options or combination options that may work for you.
Treatment looks different for everyone
Finding what works best to manage your CTCL is the main goal of treatment. Each person may have their CTCL treated in a different way, depending on a variety of factors. It’s important for you and your care team to track your CTCL to find a treatment plan that meets your needs.
