Chemotherapy and Photodynamic Therapy in Treating Patients With Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma

Inclusion Criteria

• •DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Histologically confirmed cutaneous T-cell lymphoma within the past year
• •Stage IB or IIA disease
• •* No prior diagnosis more advanced than stage IIA disease
• •PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
• •Age:
• •18 and over
• •Performance status:
• •Not specified
• •Life expectancy:
• •Not specified
• •Hematopoietic:
• •Hemoglobin at least 9 g/dL
• •WBC at least 2,000/mm\^3
• •Absolute lymphocyte count normal
• •Hepatic:
• •Bilirubin less than 1.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
• •AST and ALT no greater than 2.5 times ULN
• •No significant hepatic dysfunction
• •Renal:
• •Creatinine no greater than 2 times ULN
• •Calcium no greater than 11.5 mg/dL
• •No significant renal dysfunction
• •Other:
• •Not pregnant or nursing
• •Negative pregnancy test
• •Fertile patients must use effective contraception during and for at least 1 month after study participation
• •Fasting triglycerides normal (fenofibrate or another anti-lipemic agent allowed except gemfibrozil)
• •HIV negative
• •No other concurrent known serious medical illness or infection that would preclude study participation
• •No prior uncontrolled hyperlipidemia
• •No pancreatitis or clinically significant risk factors for developing pancreatitis
• •No known allergy or sensitivity to retinoid class drugs or fenofibrate or idiosyncratic reactions to psoralen compounds
• •No history of light-sensitive disease states (e.g., lupus, porphyria, or albinism) or aphakia
• •No prior or concurrent melanoma or invasive squamous cell carcinoma
• •No pre-existing gallbladder disease
• •PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
• •Biologic therapy:
• •No prior systemic anticancer interferon
• •No prior systemic anticancer denileukin diftitox
• •Chemotherapy:
• •At least 30 days since prior topical anticancer carmustine or mechlorethamine
• •No prior systemic anticancer alkaloid chemotherapy
• •No other concurrent systemic or topical anticancer chemotherapy (e.g., methotrexate or cyclophosphamide)
• •Endocrine therapy:
• •At least 30 days since prior topical anticancer corticosteroids
• •No concurrent systemic or topical anticancer corticosteroids
• •Radiotherapy:
• •No concurrent localized radiotherapy to specific study lesions except at investigator's discretion
• •Surgery:
• •Not specified
• •Other:
• •No prior systemic anticancer therapy
• •At least 30 days since prior topical anticancer therapy (e.g., ultraviolet B light or psoralen-ultraviolet-light therapy)
• •At least 30 days since prior participation in another investigational drug study
• •At least 30 days since prior vitamin A (at doses of more than 15,000 IU/day) or other retinoid class drugs
• •No other concurrent systemic or topical anticancer drugs or therapies
• •No other concurrent systemic retinoid class drugs, beta-carotene compounds, or vitamin A (at doses of more than 15,000 IU/day)
• •No other concurrent investigational medication
• •No concurrent gemfibrozil
• •No concurrent statin class anti-lipemics combined with fibrate class anti-lipemics (e.g., atorvastatin with fenofibrate)