What Are the Treatment Options for CTCL?

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08/09/23

Sima Rozati, MD, Assistant Professor of Dermatology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, discusses current treatment options for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL).

CTCL belongs to the non-Hodgkin lymphoma family as a rare group of malignancies. CTCL involves malignant T-cells migrating to, and collecting in, cutaneous tissue. This makes diagnosis challenging as the initial signs are skin-related and, therefore, overlap with many other dermatologic disorders. Additionally, CTCL variants present overlapping symptomatology, making it difficult to diagnose between CTCL subtypes. Hence, histopathologic features must be correlated with the clinical presentation to confirm diagnosis.

As Dr. Rozati explains, there are many treatment options available for CTCL; however, the course of action is determined by an individual’s unique presentation of the disease. For example, early-stage disease presentations or cases where the disease is primarily affecting the skin usually call for skin-directed treatments. These can range from topical corticosteroids and topical retinoids to more intensive treatments such as radiation therapy or phototherapy. Later-stage disease presentations or presentations where the disease primarily affects the blood may warrant systemic treatments such as targeted treatments, systemic chemotherapy, interferon, extracorporeal photopheresis, or stem-cell transplant.

To learn more about CTCL, visit our CTCL Learning Page.