Treating skin cancer with topical cream.
BACKGROUND
Topical pharmacotherapy is an approach to consider in selected skin cancers. Noninvasive, tissue-sparing, topical, self-administered treatments represent a highly desirable alternative option, both in aged and unhealthy patients who may be poor surgical candidates, as well as in relatively young subjects with lesions located on cosmetically sensitive areas wishing to avoid disfiguring scars. This paper reviews and discusses the use of topical pharmacotherapy in the treatment of skin cancer.


METHODS
This paper examines the existing literature and updates current knowledge of topical pharmacotherapy for skin cancer using fluorouracil, imiquimod, diclofenac and retinoids.


RESULTS
There is a gap between current and best practice in that the use of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of skin cancer is only partially known. The purpose of this paper is to provide an in-depth knowledge on this topic; consequently, the readers should be able to consider new strategies in their practice.


CONCLUSIONS
Topical pharmacotherapy represents an option for treatment of actinic keratoses and selected basal cell carcinomas. Moreover, preliminary reports indicate imiquimod to be effective for skin or mucosal cancers such as Bowen's disease, erythroplasia of Queyrat and lentigo maligna.
Micali
Giuseppe
G
University of Catania, Dermatology Clinic, A.O.U. Policlinico - Vittorio Emanuele, Via Santa Sofia, 78 95123 Catania, Italy. cldermct@nti.it
Lacarrubba
Francesco
F
Dinotta
Franco
F
Massimino
Doriana
D
Nasca
Maria Rita
MR
D000287:Administration, Topical; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004008:Diclofenac / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D055623:Keratosis, Actinic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012176:Retinoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D012176:Retinoids; D004008:Diclofenac; D000077271:Imiquimod; D005472:Fluorouracil