5-fluorouracil chemowraps for the treatment of multiple actinic keratoses

Background Few satisfactory treatment options are available for widespread areas affected by multiple actinic keratoses (AKs). Objectives Our primary objective was to assess the response rate to weekly 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemowraps on widespread AK lesions, and secondarily to assess tolerability, the percentage of patients with recurrence and time to recurrence, the response rate for patients with associated Bowen’s disease (BD), and the percentage of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) identified after treatment. Materials & methods We conducted an open study which included all the patients who had been treated with weekly 5-FU chemowraps in our department over the course of five years for areas of widespread AKs. Results The response rate for AKs was 60%, with 20% complete responses among 25 patients after an average of 9.6 sessions (1 to 64). The treatment had to be discontinued because of toxicity in four patients; one case of contact dermatitis, one case of erosive pustular dermatosis, and two cases of Grade 2 irritations. Invasive SCCs were identified in five patients after treatment cessation. The median recurrence-free survival was five months. A 64% response rate was achieved for associated BD. Conclusion The weekly application of 5-FU under occlusion seems to be an interesting, well-tolerated therapeutic option for the treatment of widespread AKs.