Treatment of keratoacanthomas with intralesional fluorouracil

Abstract

Fourteen patients with 26 keratoacanthomas (KA) were treated weekly with intralesional injections of fluorouracil. Twenty-five lesions cleared in an average of three weeks (range, two to eight weeks) after an average of 2.8 injections. One KA failed to respond after five weekly injections and was excised. No recurrences or meaningful side effects were observed. It appears that treatment of KA with intralesional fluorouracil injections is a safe, effective, and convenient mode ot treatment yielding excellent cosmetic results.

Traumatic Keratoacanthoma Arising in a 15‐Year‐Old Boy Following a Motor Vehicle Accident

“…Since that time, approximately 47 other patients, with 49 examples of traumatic KA, have been reported in the literature. Their ages ranged from 34 to 82 years (2,(7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26). The time interval between the traumatic event and the appearance of the KA varied from 1 week to 1 year (2,7-26).…”

Treatment of Squamous Cell Carcinoma With Intralesional 5-Fluorouracil

“…Fifty-three of the 55 lesions (96%) showed histologic clearing after an average of three weekly injections of 0.2 to 0.6 mL of an aqueous solution of 50 mg/cm 3 5-FU. 3,4 In another case report, a patient with 14 KAs experienced total clearing of his lesions with slightly smaller doses (0.1 to 0.2 mL) over a longer period of time (five to nine weekly injections). 5 Given the histologic similarities between KAs and well-differentiated SCC, it would follow that 5-FU might be effective in the treatment of SCC and its related precursors.…”

“…Since then, there have been numerous reports of KAs safely and effectively treated with intralesional 5-FU. [3][4][5][6] In two separate studies, a total of 55 lesions located on sun-exposed areas of the face, head, and extremities were studied. Fifty-three of the 55 lesions (96%) showed histologic clearing after an average of three weekly injections of 0.2 to 0.6 mL of an aqueous solution of 50 mg/cm 3 5-FU.…”

“…It has been used topically to treat such lesions as actinic keratosis, Bowen's disease, and superficial basal cell carcinoma. 1,2 5-FU has also been used intralesionally in the treatment of keratoacanthomas (KAs) [3][4][5][6] and nodular basal cell carcinomas. 7 This article documents a case of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) that was successfully treated with intralesional 5-FU, thus providing a possible treatment option for patients who are not good surgical candidates or who prefer nonsurgical treatment.…”

Combined 5-Fluorouracil and Er:YAG Laser Treatment in a Case of Recurrent Giant Keratoacanthoma of the Lower Leg

“…1 Although surgical excision remains the treatment of choice, other therapeutic options like cryotherapy, topical photodynamic therapy, retinoids, and intralesional chemotherapy have been described. [2][3][4] Radiotherapy, although efficient in the treatment of keratoacanthomas at high total doses, is today used with some caution owing to its unknown carcinogenic potential. 5,6 Intralesional interferon-a, applied once to three times weekly for several weeks, was also shown to be effective in the treatment of large keratoacanthomas that do not qualify for surgical removal.…”