Guest guest Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 I used to have psoriasis of the scalp for several years, even before I was diagnosed with CLL in 2005. I used a variety of creams and lotions, settling eventually on triamcinolone 0.025% and a tar shampoo called DHS. This helped reduce itching, but did not cure the psoriasis. However, after I started IVIG for my poor immune system, the psoriasis vanished within a short time. I just suddenly realized it was not there any more. I also stopped taking an antibiotic, Ethambutol, at the same time. I started taking it again about a month ago, however, and so far the psoriasis has not come back. I have asked several of my doctors what they would attribute this sudden improvement to. None of them, even the dermatologist, knows for sure. The dermatologist did agree, however, that it might be due to the IVIG, since psoriasis is an autoimmune disorder an I am getting infusions of healthy immunoglobulin. Bente Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 I have been in W & W since 2005. I have had a scalp condition that I can't seem to clear up. I have seen a dermatoligist on a few occasions but nothing prescribed seems to work.Basically I live with it....I was never told it could be association with the CLL. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2011 Report Share Posted May 20, 2011 Last year my dermatologist prescribed 2 creams, 1 for morning and one for night. It seemed to clear somewhat, but my derm told me it will NEVER be cured. Then in June 2010, I went through 4 treatments of FCR. I no longer have any psoriasis, but my onco at DFCI told me it will come back after the FCR leaves my body, whenever that is. I would not recommend FCR as a treatment for psoriasis. On Fri, May 20, 2011 at 5:03 PM, Gail wrote: > I have been in W & W since 2005. I have had a scalp condition > that I can't seem to clear up. I have seen a dermatoligist > on a few occasions but nothing prescribed seems to > work.Basically I live with it....I was never told it could > be association with the CLL. Any suggestions would be > appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 I have had severe psoriasis for decades. Since being diagnosed with CLL, I had been receiving narrow-band UV-B treatments, which were working, in lieu of the drugs I was taking previously. When I started FCR in December, I had to discontinue the UV treatments However, I was told that my skin should improve because FCR is such a potent immunosuppresant and other immunosuppresant drugs like cyclosporine are effective treatments for psoriasis. To everyone's surprise, the FCR caused my psoriasis to flare. About six weeks after my last FCR treatment, my psoriasis seemed to subside a little, and I have now resumed UV treatment to try to get my skin under control. I researched my issue online and found a journal article that reported a similar phenomenon. The title of the article was " Paradoxical Exacerbation of Psoriasis During Treatment With Fludarabine " -- so I'm not the only one who experienced this counterintuitive reaction to FCR. Mitch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Mitch, Like we've said before, EACH OF US IS DIFFERENT. We can only relate our personal experiences. On Sat, May 21, 2011 at 10:33 AM, wrote: > I researched my issue online and found a journal article > that reported a similar phenomenon. The title of the article > was " Paradoxical Exacerbation of Psoriasis During Treatment > With Fludarabine " -- so I'm not the only one who experienced > this counterintuitive reaction to FCR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2011 Report Share Posted May 21, 2011 Psoriasis is believed to be a disease mediated by T cells. As such, we would expect that it might improve with typical treatments for CLL (fludarabine, pentostatin, bendamustine) as these agents knock down T cells as well as B cells. In my experience, I have not seen rituximab make any psoriasis flare, but it is theoretically possible it might due to " altering the T cell - B cell environment " . Rituximab might also improve psoriasis just by bring the CLL under better control. With that being said, I have seen a patient, and there is a report in the literature, of psoriasis worsening with fludarabine treatment. Rick Furman, MD > > What experiences, positive and negative, have folks had > managing psoriasis and CLL at the same time? What steps led > to improvement in the psoriasis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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