Dr. Foss on the Unmet Need in Cutaneous T-cell Lymphoma

Francine Foss, MD, professor of medicine and dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, discusses the challenges faced in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

It has been a great challenge to find effective therapies for patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, says Foss. Oftentimes it is difficult to conduct clinical trials because there are so few patients with the disease, adds Foss. Without enough patient enrollment on these trials, it is difficult to get investigational drugs approved by the FDA.

However, the international, randomized MAVORIC phase III study managed to enroll almost 400 patients with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. In the trial, investigators compared the use of mogamulizumab-kpkc (Poteligeo) with standard treatment with vorinostat in patients with previously treated cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Data from this trial led to the September 2018 FDA approval of the drug for use in 2 rare types of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma: mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. It took an international effort to conduct this trial, says Foss.

It’s important to remember that no matter how many drugs are available, patients will still progress and require additional therapy; this is a large unmet need in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, concludes Foss.