title: Office-based treatment of basal cell carcinoma with immunocryosurgery: feasibility and efficacy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Minimally invasive, non-surgical, office-based modalities are a welcome alternative to surgery for basal cell carcinoma(BCC). This study evaluates the treatment of BCC with immunocryosurgery (cryosurgery during topical imiquimod) in a dermatology office setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Response of BCC to immunocryosurgery (daily imiquimod for 5 weeks and a liquid N2 cryosurgery session at the end of the 2nd week) was evaluated according to treatment feasibility, tumor clearance, and relapse.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-four patients with a total of 36 BCC (four relapses after cryosurgery or surgery) were recruited and all finished treatment (follow-up: 2-24 months). One month after the end of treatment, 30/36 sites were clinically cured. In five cases, a repeat cryosurgery at this time led to clinical cure (one patient refused cryosurgery; overall cure rate: 97.2%). Two relapses occurred after 12 and 14 months follow-up, which were successfully treated with immunosurgery and cryosurgery, respectively. Adverse effects included hypopigmentation, redness persisting for up to 3 months after treatment, superficial scarring that improved with time, and worry during treatment because of skin irritation (resolved with a phone discussion in all cases).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunocryosurgery is a feasible and efficacious procedure that can be performed at a dermatology office for the treatment of primary and relapsed BCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases, University of Ioannina Medical School, GR-45110 Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Mikel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakuçi
authors.forename: Ioannis D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Bassukas
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000287:Administration, Topical; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000379:methods; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003452:Cryosurgery / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009819:Office Visits; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000077271:Imiquimod