Treatment of cutaneous mastocytosis.

Therapy of cutaneous mastocytosis is directed towards skin and systemic symptoms due to mediator release and targeted on skin lesions. Symptomatic therapy of cutaneous mastocytosis involves agents that inhibit the release of mediators or antagonize H1 and H2 receptors such as antihistamines ketodifen and Aspirin. Disodium cromoglycate has no effect of the cutaneous symptoms of cutaneous mastocytosis. Skin-targeted therapies that lead to a resolution of the lesions of cutaneous mastocytosis are psoralen-photochemotherapy and topical corticosteroid therapy either by occlusion or intralesional injection for a limited number of lesions. There is no treatment that permanently cures cutaneous mastocytosis and patient selection will therefore have to be made on the basis of the clinical manifestations, onset of disease, the probability of spontaneous involution and the severity of cutaneous and systemic symptoms. Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel