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Henry H. Roenigk, Jr, MD

JAMA. 1981;245(19):1941.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

Five years ago a new form of systemic therapy for psoriasis was introduced.¹ The treatment combines the oral injestion of methoxsalen followed by increasing light (long-wave ultraviolet light [UVA]) given in special phototherapy boxes in established centers. This outpatient form of therapy has proved highly effective in two large cooperative studies^2,3 in the United States and also has been confirmed as standard therapy worldwide. The short-term side effects have been minimal and acceptable. Long-term side effects are yet to be determined, but one study⁴ has suggested increased incidence of skin cancer, especially squamous cell carcinoma, but other studies^5,6 have argued that patients with severe psoriasis may have increased incidence of skin cancer because of exposure to other carcinogens such as x-ray, ultraviolet light in the sunlight range (UVB) for Goeckerman therapy, and other chemotherapeutic drugs. PUVA may increase the risk of skin cancer but no more than . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Author Affiliations
Northwestern University Medical School Chicago

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