Effects of Narrow-band UVB Alone and in Combination with Isotretinoin on Apoptosis and Its Clinical Implications in Early Stage Mycosis Fungoides

Background: Mycosis fungoides, one of the most common subtypes of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas, is characterized by uncontrolled T cell proliferation, apoptosis resistance, and consequent chronic cutaneous inflammation. This study aims to show the effects of narrow-band ultraviolet B (UVB) alone and narrow-band UVB + isotretinoin treatments on the expression of fas, fas ligand, Bcl-2, STAT-3 and galectin-3 proteins which are responsible for apoptosis regulation, and also assess the relationship between this regulatory functions and clinical improvement.