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European Journal of Dermatology

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Alemtuzumab in Sézary syndrome: efficient but not innocent Volume 17, issue 6, November-December 2007

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Authors
Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, Istanbul University Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty, 34300 Istanbul, Turkey, Department of Dermatology, Istanbul, Turkey

Mycosis fungoides is the most common form of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas. The related Sézary syndrome is a more aggressive form in which the skin is diffusely affected and the peripheral blood is involved. Although easily managed during its early phases, late-stage mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome is usually difficult to treat and becomes refractory to chemotherapy. Recently, promising case-based results have been obtained with alemtuzumab, a humanized immunoglobulin G1 monoclonal antibody that binds to CD52 cell surface antigens, in the treatment of advanced stage mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome. We report a case of Sézary syndrome treated successfully with alemtuzumab but who died of treatment-related infection.