Megavolt electron irradiation for localized mycosis fungoides.

A retrospective analysis was carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of small field megavolt electron irradiation for localized mycosis fungoides. Only local field electron beam therapy was employed for limited disease reserving total skin electron irradiation for multiple lesions or diffuse disease covering at least 25 per cent of the entire body surface. Of the 14 patients with limited disease treated between 1964 and 1973 with the local field technique, 10 patients (71 per cent) are alive without evidence of disease at a minimum of 5 years. In contrast, of 200 patients with extensive cutaneous disease who received total skin electron irradiation, only 16 (8 per cent) were considered cured. It is concluded that early localized mycosis fungoides is potentially curable, and that limited field electron beam therapy with a relatively low total dose is adequate to obtain excellent response.