title: Successful treatment of actinic keratosis with imiquimod cream 5%: a report of six cases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Actinic keratoses (AK) are premalignant lesions, which are routinely treated by destructive procedures such as cryotherapy, electrodessication or topical 5-fluorouracil.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to report six cases of AK treated with a potential new topical therapy, imiquimod.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects included in this study had suffered with recurrent AK for between 5 and 16 years. All six men were treated with imiquimod 5% cream three times a week for 6-8 weeks. In the event of a local skin reaction treatment was modified to two times per week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the AK lesions were successfully cleared after treatment with imiquimod cream 5% for 6-8 weeks. Histologically, no apparent signs of persisting AK could be detected, and no recurrences were reported during follow up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that imiquimod may be useful as a new therapy for the treatment of actinic keratoses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Kiel, Schittenhelmstrasse 7, D-24105 Kiel, Germany. E.Stockfleth@web.de
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stockfleth
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Benninghoff
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Christophers
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000368:Aged; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D007642:Keratosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009381:Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012008:Recurrence; D012536:Scalp Dermatoses / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077271:Imiquimod