title: Prognostic markers in lentigo maligna patients treated with imiquimod cream: A long-term follow-up study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  More data are needed to define factors that predict long-term success after imiquimod therapy for lentigo maligna (LM).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine the demographic, clinical, and histologic prognostic markers of relapse-free survival in patients with LM who were treated with imiquimod.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a single-arm, open-label, nonrandomized, prospective study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-nine patients with histologically confirmed LM and a median follow-up time of 4.8 years after imiquimod treatment were included in our study. Sixteen patients (18%) relapsed. Statistically significant indicators of an increased risk of local recurrence included: the total number of melanocytes, the number of basal and suprabasal melanocytes and the number of pagetoid spreading melanocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study was a single-center, nonrandomized study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An assessment of different melanocyte fractions in the diagnostic baseline biopsy specimen may help to predict the response of LM to imiquimod therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mirja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gautschi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Patrick A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Oberholzer
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Karolina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gadaldi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Nikhil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yawalkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address: robert.hunger@insel.ch.
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hunger
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018327:Hutchinson's Melanotic Freckle / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D000077271:Imiquimod; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008544:Melanocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D063465:Skin Cream / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D013557:Switzerland; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000077271:Imiquimod
keywords: efficacy; follow-up; imiquimod; lentigo maligna; prognostic marker; recurrence; topical immunomodulators