Original articleThe risk of squamous cell and basal cell cancer associated with psoralen and ultraviolet A therapy: A 30-year prospective study
Section snippets
Study population
The PUVA Follow-Up Study has prospectively studied 1380 of 1450 patients with psoriasis first treated with PUVA in 1975 to 1976 in 16 university centers.3, 4 At entry to the clinical trial, all patients completed a detailed health history that included past exposures to other psoriasis therapy, risk factors for NMSC, and general health. Before first treatment, laboratory studies were done and dermatologists examined all patients to assess skin cancers, photodamage, extent of psoriasis, and
Follow-up
From enrollment (1975-1976) to the final cycle of interviews (2003-2005), the potential maximum duration of a prospective follow-up was 30 years with a mean interval from entry to last interview for those completing the final cycle duration of 28 years. Table I provides patient demographic characteristics and exposures to selected psoriasis therapies. Of the 759 patients who survived to the end of the study, 283 (37%) had one or more NMSCs documented.17 The mean duration of follow-up was 27
Discussion
In 1975 and 1976 the PUVA Clinical Cooperative Study enrolled 1450 patients with psoriasis at 16 university centers who were among the first treated with oral psoralen photochemotherapy (PUVA).3 In early 1977, 1380 of these 1450 consented to enroll in a long-term prospective safety study: the PUVA Follow-Up Study. This study spanned nearly 30 years and included 22 cycles of patient interviews that documented health events, treatments for psoriasis, medications, hospitalization, and cancer,
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Supported in part by National Institutes of Health Contract No. NO1-AR-0-2246.
Conflicts of interest: None declared.
Reprints not available from the authors.