Treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides) with 13-cis-retinoic acid.

Four patients with refractory cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (mycosis fungoides) were treated with 13-cis-retinoic acid. Near complete clearing of extensive tumours and plaques was seen in one patient, who remains in partial remission with continued improvement after fifteen months. Two patients showed improvement in pruritus and 50% reduction in plaques by four and six weeks, respectively. The fourth patient had improvement in pruritus and clearing of plaques, but dryness and scaling necessitated reduction and eventually withdrawal of the treatment.