A neglected basal cell carcinoma in a young patient: successful treatment with immunocryosurgery

Gaitanis, Georgios; Tronnier, Micheal; Zioga, Aikaterini; Spyridonos, Panagiota; Bassukas, Ioannis D.

doi:10.18203/2349-3933.ijam20151019

Cited by 2 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(25 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This is a significantly shorter treatment duration compared to the approximately 8 weeks required for imiquimod alone treatment for KA [16, 17], which, if confirmed in larger studies, would mean a considerable improvement of feasibility and an indication in favor of synergistic effects in the framework of the combination. Yet, from our experience with large basal cell carcinoma ([18, 19] and unpublished data) we know that the combination of imiquimod and cryosurgery is optimized with biweekly cryosurgery session repetitions. We would like to suggest that for inadequately responding KA to a single treatment cycle repetitions of the above cycle could be enquired to improve overall treatment efficacy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cryosurgery, Intralesional Methotrexate and Imiquimod for Keratoacanthoma: Tuning the Combination

Gaitanis

Bassukas

2019

Case Reports in Dermatological Medicine

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Keratoacanthomas (KA) are self-regressing, destructively expanding keratinocyte skin neoplasms typically characterized by sudden onset of explosive growth followed by complete involution. Cryosurgery, intralesional methotrexate and imiquimod have been used alone or in combination of two for the treatment of KA. Presently 3 patients (49, 60, and 65 years old; two females, one suspected with Ferguson-Smith syndrome), with 5 KA (6–24 mm maximal diameter) were treated with the combination of cryosurgery (liquid N2, open spray, 2 cycles of 15 sec each) and intralesional methotrexate (2.5–30 mg cumulative dose) and subsequent daily application of imiquimod (14–35 days). Starting with 4 cryosurgery/intralesional methotrexate sessions and 5 weeks daily imiquimod, to document feasibility and efficacy we progressively reduced the intensity of the treatment to one cryosurgery/intralesional methotrexate (total dose: 5 mg) session and 14 days of daily imiquimod without compromising efficacy. KA stopped growing promptly with sustained clearance after 6–24 months follow up, implicating a huge potential of therapeutic synergy of the employed modalities in the management of KA. We suggest that, optimized, the present three modalities combination (one session mild cryosurgery/low dose, 5 mg intralesional methotrexate and 2 weeks once daily imiquimod) is a promising treatment for KA that merits evaluation in further studies.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cryosurgery, Intralesional Methotrexate and Imiquimod for Keratoacanthoma: Tuning the Combination

Gaitanis

Bassukas

2019

Case Reports in Dermatological Medicine

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…From the patient perspective, the main advantages result from the combination of a high tumor-controlling efficacy and an excellent aesthetic and functional outcome. This is more obvious in the case of large BCC [33] or lesions close to important anatomical structures (periorbital lesions, nose) for which complex surgical interventions are avoided [28,29]. Immunocryosurgery can be applied to elderly patients with unavoidable co-morbidities without the need to interrupt or adapt anticoagulation therapy.…”

Section: Protocol Of Immunocryosurgerymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…By transferring our experience from large BCC [26,33] (including not published data) and cSCC cases [10], we know that the immunocryosurgery can be potentiated with repeated sessions (every 2-3 weeks) of cryosurgery while the tumor is under continuous topical imiquimod treatment.…”

Section: Actinic Cheilitis (Solar Cheilosis)mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A Review of Immunocryosurgery and a Practical Guide to Its Applications

Gaitanis

Bassukas

2021

Diseases

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Immunocryosurgery is a minimally invasive combinational therapeutic procedure that has been designed, developed, and evaluated in the Dermatology Department of the University of Ioannina from 2004. In a fixed time protocol, this approach combines immune stimulatory therapy with imiquimod and cryosurgery, i.e., cryosurgery is applied during continuous imiquimod treatment. Laboratory findings in tissue and blood level credit the efficacy to the synergy of imiquimod and cryosurgery. The synergy has been established through clinical trials and the excellent feasibility and efficacy demonstrated in clinical practice. Immunocryosurgery has extensive proof of excellent efficacy, comparable to surgery, in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma. It has also been evaluated in cases of Bowen’s disease, keratoacanthoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, lentigo maligna, and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma with or without the addition of adjuvants. The aims of this review are to detail the immunocryosurgery protocol with the addition of daily practice clinical tips, compile data on the mechanism of action of immunocryosurgery, and delineate indications and possible future applications. Most of the available data originate from the treatment of BCC, of all histological types and localizations, and the principles reported mainly reflect on evidence related to the treatment of this common skin cancer.

show abstract

A neglected basal cell carcinoma in a young patient: successful treatment with immunocryosurgery

Cited by 2 publications

References 23 publications

Cryosurgery, Intralesional Methotrexate and Imiquimod for Keratoacanthoma: Tuning the Combination

Cryosurgery, Intralesional Methotrexate and Imiquimod for Keratoacanthoma: Tuning the Combination

A Review of Immunocryosurgery and a Practical Guide to Its Applications

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About