title: Complete clearance is sustained for at least 12 months after treatment of actinic keratoses of the face or balding scalp via daily dosing with imiquimod 3.75% or 2.5% cream.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Assess long-term, sustained, complete clearance of actinic keratoses after treatment with imiquimod 3.75% or 2.5% cream using two two-week or three-week cycles of daily dosing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Adults with five to 20 baseline actinic keratoses who achieved complete clearance at the eight-week post-treatment visit in four phase 3 placebo-controlled treatment studies were followed for an additional 12 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For imiquimod 3.75% and 2.5% cream, respectively, complete clearance was sustained for 12 months in 17/42 (40.5%) and 13/39 (33.3%) subjects from the two-week cycle studies, and in 23/48 (47.9%) and 16/37 (43.2%) subjects from the three-week cycle studies. There were no safety concerns during the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In subjects with a median of eight to nine baseline actinic keratoses who achieved complete clearance after treatment of the full face or balding scalp with topical imiquimod 3.75% cream, complete clearance of all lesions (baseline, recurrent or new) was sustained in ≥ 40 percent of subjects for at least 14 months after the last dose. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT00668733.
authors.affiliation: Laser and Skin Surgery Center, Carmel, IN, USA.
authors.forename: C William
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Hanke
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Swanson
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bruce
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Berman
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kulp
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Levy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005145:Face; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D055623:Keratosis, Actinic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D012535:Scalp; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000077271:Imiquimod