ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Bexarotene has been approved to treat advanced stage cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) since 1999. However, very few data have been published on its long-term safety and efficacy profile. The aim of this study is to determine the tolerability to bexarotene and outcomes by collecting the 2nd largest case series to date on its long-term use vs CTCL. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This was a multicenter retrospective review of 216 patients with mycosis fungoides (174), or Sézary syndrome (42) on a 10-year course of bexarotene alone or in combination with other therapies at 19 tertiary referral teaching hospitals. RESULTS: A total of 133 men (62%) and 83 women (38%) were included, with a mean age of 63.5 year (27-95). A total of 45% were on bexarotene monotherapy for the entire study period, 22% started on bexarotene but eventually received an additional therapy, 13% were on another treatment but eventually received bexarotene while the remaining 20% received a combination therapy since the beginning. The median course of treatment was 20.78 months (1-114); and the overall response rate, 70.3%. Complete and partial response rates were achieved in 26% and 45% of the patients, respectively. Treatment was well tolerated, being the most common toxicities hypertriglyceridemia (79%), hypercholesterolemia (71%), and hypothyroidism (52%). No treatment-related grade 5 adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms bexarotene is a safe and effective therapy for the long-term treatment of CTCL.
Subject(s)
Bexarotene , Mycosis Fungoides , Sezary Syndrome , Skin Neoplasms , Tetrahydronaphthalenes , Humans , Bexarotene/therapeutic use , Male , Female , Aged , Retrospective Studies , Middle Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy , Adult , Tetrahydronaphthalenes/therapeutic use , Tetrahydronaphthalenes/adverse effects , Mycosis Fungoides/drug therapy , Sezary Syndrome/drug therapy , Spain , Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous/drug therapy , Treatment Outcome , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Bexarotene has been approved to treat advanced stage cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) since 1999. However, very few data have been published on its long-term safety and efficacy profile. The aim of this study is to determine the tolerability to bexarotene and outcomes by collecting the 2nd largest case series to date on its long-term use vs CTCL. MATERIAL AND METHOD: This was a multicenter retrospective review of 216 patients with mycosis fungoides (174), or Sézary syndrome (42) on a 10-year course of bexarotene alone or in combination with other therapies at 19 tertiary referral teaching hospitals. RESULTS: A total of 133 men (62%) and 83 women (38%) were included, with a mean age of 63.5 year (27-95). A total of 45% were on bexarotene monotherapy for the entire study period, 22% started on bexarotene but eventually received an additional therapy, 13% were on another treatment but eventually received bexarotene while the remaining 20% received a combination therapy since the beginning. The median course of treatment was 20.78 months (1-114); and the overall response rate, 70.3%. Complete and partial response rates were achieved in 26% and 45% of the patients, respectively. Treatment was well tolerated, being the most common toxicities hypertriglyceridemia (79%), hypercholesterolemia (71%), and hypothyroidism (52%). No treatment-related grade 5 adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms bexarotene is a safe and effective therapy for the long-term treatment of CTCL.
Subject(s)
Bexarotene , Mycosis Fungoides , Sezary Syndrome , Skin Neoplasms , Tetrahydronaphthalenes , Humans , Bexarotene/therapeutic use , Male , Female , Aged , Retrospective Studies , Middle Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Skin Neoplasms/drug therapy , Adult , Tetrahydronaphthalenes/therapeutic use , Tetrahydronaphthalenes/adverse effects , Mycosis Fungoides/drug therapy , Sezary Syndrome/drug therapy , Spain , Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous/drug therapy , Treatment Outcome , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use , Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/adverse effectsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Bexarotene is a synthetic selective X receptor rexinoide approved for the systemic treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. During treatment is very frequent the occurrence of hypothyroidism and severe mixed hyperlipidemia, both are reversibles and dose-dependent adverse events. Increase of triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol level (up to even higher levels have been associated with pancreatitis in some cases) is widely described (as is the case with other retinoids) but decrease in HDL-cholesterol is poored know. We review our experience with the use of bexarotene. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We present a serie of 3 clinical report of patients treated with bexarotene in whose, in addition to these well-known adverse event, a serious lowering of HDL-cholesterol was observed. RESULTS: The 3 patients studied had metabolic complications like central hypothyroidism and severe mixed hyperlipidemia; with special emphasis on the sharp fall (mean decrease>83%) in the HDL-cholesterol level. Cholesterol lowering medication and substitutive hormonal replacement with levotiroxine resulted in an improvement of the biochimical parameters without reaching the correct goals. CONCLUSIONS: Bexarotene produce as predictable side effects severe mixed hyperlipidemia with marked decrease in HDL-cholesterol levels and central hypothyroidism, being the both reversible and dose-dependent. A reflection on the possible aetiological mechanisms and implications of this phenomenon are included.