title: Medical therapies for non-melanoma skin cancer.
abstract: The epidemic of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) continues, in part due to aging of the world's population, the frequency of early childhood sunburns, and episodic intense recreational sun exposure as opposed to sun exposure related to outdoor occupations. A nonsurgical approach to selected skin cancers could potentially decrease the expense and morbidity of surgical treatment for NMSC. The increase of comorbid medical conditions in the elderly makes alternatives to surgical management preferable under certain circumstances. This review will discuss medical alternatives ranging from biologic response modifiers to COX-2 inhibitors to lifestyle modifications, as well as their roles in the management of NMSC. This preliminary information will expand to include more therapeutic options for NMSC in the future. Further clinical trials are needed to better elucidate possible alternative treatment strategies for NMSC.
authors.affiliation: Solano Clinical Research, Solano Dermatology Associates, Vallejo, California, USA.
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chakrabarty
authors.forename: John K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Geisse
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D016207:Cytokines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D012176:Retinoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012176:Retinoids; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D000077271:Imiquimod; D005472:Fluorouracil