Treatment Options

Treatment options for primary cutaneous ALCL depend on the extent of the skin lesions. If the disease is confined to a single lesion or area, radiation therapy or surgical excision will result in complete remission in approximately 95 percent of patients. If there are multiple lesions or relapsed disease in the skin, radiation can eradicate the skin lesions, but will not reduce the likelihood of new lesions developing.

Those with primary cutaneous ALCL in multiple sites on the body usually need systemic treatment, which travels through the blood and affects many parts of the body.

The following treatments are approved for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma:

• Bexarotene (Targretin)
• Brentuximab Vedotin (Adcetris)
• Romidepsin (Istodax)
• Vorinostat (Zolinza)

Many patients with newly diagnosed systemic ALCL respond well to common first-line chemotherapy regimens such as CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), although long-term remission disease outcome depends on the subtype and other factors. ALK-positive disease usually responds very well to CHOP or CHOEP (CHOP plus etoposide). In contrast, ALK-negative patients may be more likely to relapse with similar treatments. In some circumstances, higher doses of chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplantation may be prescribed.

Learn More

To learn more about ALCL, download the Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Fact Sheet. Want to talk to someone? For answers to lymphoma-related questions 
and resources, contact our Helpline at (800) 500-9976 or helpline@lymphoma.org.