title: Imiquimod: an effective alternative for the treatment of invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some patients with invasive cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma are either not adequate surgical candidates or present with lesions in cosmetically sensitive areas in which a surgical procedure might result in an apparent and/or a cosmetically unacceptable scar.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of imiquimod 5% cream in the treatment of an invasive squamous cell carcinoma in the nose of a young man.
  
  
  METHODS
  Imiquimod 5% cream was applied to the lesion five times a week for 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete clinicopathologic tumor clearance and an excellent cosmetic result were achieved after 12 weeks of imiquimod treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Imiquimod 5% cream may represent a reasonably effective alternative for the management of invasive squamous cell carcinoma in selected patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico. martin-mubarak@aol.com
authors.forename: Rafael F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Martín-García
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077271:Imiquimod