Answers from the Experts: Q&A - May 2023
Finding answers to your questions about cutaneous lymphoma and its treatment can be challenging. These open question and answer events provide access to expert clinicians to respond to your questions about cutaneous lymphoma. (Click "Show More" for question timestamps)
Clinicians
Stefan Barta, MD, MS, MRCP (UK), Abramson Cancer Center
Jennifer Villasenor-Park, MD, PhD, Penn Dermatology
Timestamps
2:54 - With mycosis fungoides inactive due to several years of phototherapy my question is should I continue twice a month forever?
5:17 - Do I need (a) flow cytometry test every time I get checked or should I just get the physical exam of lymph nodes, etc; and if that presentation is abnormal, should I then get the blood work done?
10:38 - I have been diagnosed and living with mycosis fungoides for over 12 years. Light therapy and steroid creams have been enough to keep me in check until now however. As I get older I notice a difference in the speed of its return and wonder if there's blood work that
should be done several times a year to understand and better control my skin rashes?
14:05 - Can physical stress such as weight lifting, jogging and Etc cause breakouts?
16:15 - The patient has mycosis fungoides, stage 1A. They've been started on Ledaga which they've been doing…about 10 weeks…they're specifically asking about the scale. Can it be applied on the scale? And then with that their dermatologist did also recommend betamethasone on the scalp. So they're asking if it's safe to combine the two and/or are there any other treatments that you would recommend if your patient had scalp issues?
20:14 - Our next question has to do with Moga. They have been on continuous treatment with Moga since October of 2020 and they've had six previous protocols. they're doing well and have had a complete response and spacing treatments to seven weeks apart now they have begun experiencing muscle and joint pain while all inflammatory markers are normal. Have you had this experience with any of your patients and if so what was your suggestion?
24:10 - [Care partner’s] mother was recently diagnosed with possible but highly suspected either Sezary or mycosis fungoides. [The] provider stated that it's most likely Sezary…[What] is overall the prognosis or life expectancy with Sezary? And does Sezary also have stages?
29:58 - What are the top three questions should I ask a provider?
31:40 - If you've been fairly clear over a year without UVB treatment, occasionally use Lidex, is it possible to still have advanced disease in time? Currently in Stage 1a
33:41 - What kind of successes have you had with bexarotene? Anybody have a full body scan radiation?
38:40 - [What are the] pros and cons of Moga?
43:59 - Can the disease be cured? What is new in treatments? How close in our future are successful treatment options for remission?
47:35 - [Referencing] a Sezary diagnosis and…specifically asking about the blood parameters that would lead to it and does the cytometry indicate it? [And] then what are the identifiers?