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Fox Chase Center Offers Topical Gel to Treat Parapsoriasis

Individuals with parapsoriasis, a red, scaly rash located in the "bathing suit" area, could be at risk for developing CTCL. Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philidelphia, Pennsylvania are conducting an innovative clinical trial using bexarotene (Targretin®), a form of vitamin A in a topical gel, to treat parapsoriasis and prevent the disease from progressing into cancer.

The FDA has approved Targretin® for the treatment of CTCL, but Dr. Suart Lessin (Fox Chase Cancer Center) and his colleagues are using the gel as a prevention tool. "If we can treat patients who are diagnosed with parapsoriasis, we can potentially stop the cancer before it has a chance to start or progress," says Lessin.