title: Imiquimod 5% cream as an adjuvant pre-operative treatment for basal cell carcinoma of the periocular area.
abstract: Despite national guidelines in the UK, patients with low-grade periocular malignancies frequently wait a period of months for their surgery. We have devised a protocol of pre-treatment with an immune modulator in an attempt to reduce the tumour size whilst patients await surgery. We present a case series of 5 patients who used Imiquimod 5% cream (Aldara) for 4 weeks as an adjuvant treatment prior to the excision of periocular nodular basal cell carcinomas. We also assessed tolerability of the cream using a visual analogue scale and recorded adverse events. Our patients had an average 22% reduction in tumour area (range 3.31%-39.64%) whilst awaiting surgery. The medication had a good tolerability profile and there were no ocular adverse events. Due to the promising results, this pilot study demonstrates the feasibility and value of a planned multicentre, prospective research project to further explore these initial findings.
authors.affiliation: Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust , London , United Kingdom and.
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bonilla
authors.forename: Ameenat L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Solebo
authors.forename: Mona A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khandwala
authors.forename: Carole A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Jones
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005142:Eyelid Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000077271:Imiquimod; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D063465:Skin Cream; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077271:Imiquimod
keywords: Adjuvant chemotherapy; basal cell carcinoma; eyelid; imiquimod