Topical 5‐fluorouracil in dermatologic disease

• Published in: International journal of dermatology Vol. 57; no. 10; pp. 1259 - 1264
• Main Authors: Prince, Garrett T., Cameron, Michael C., Fathi, Ramin, Alkousakis, Theodore
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.10.2018
• Subjects: 5-Fluorouracil; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - therapeutic use; Basal cell carcinoma; Dermatology; Disease; Fluorouracil - therapeutic use; Humans; Keratosis; Medical treatment; Reviews; Skin Diseases - drug therapy; Squamous cell carcinoma
• ISSN: 0011-9059; 1365-4632
• DOI: 10.1111/ijd.14106

Background 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) has proven to be an effective therapy in the treatment of a variety of dermatologic conditions. Approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of actinic keratoses and superficial basal cell carcinoma, topical 5‐FU has also demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of a variety of other dermatologic diseases. Methods A search of the MEDLINE standard computer database, MEDLINE advanced database, and EMBASE database was conducted. Results Thirty‐four articles met criteria for inclusion in this review. These articles represented 16 randomized controlled trials and 18 case series. Each article was reviewed and summarized. Conclusions Topical 5‐FU is used in a variety of dermatologic disease processes with a wide range of efficacy and levels of evidence. Based on extent and level of evidence, our disease‐specific systematic review found that the evidence is strongest for topical 5‐FU use in the treatment of actinic keratosis, squamous cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. This review serves as a comprehensive summary of topical 5‐FU use in dermatology.