Topical therapies for nonmelanoma skin cancers

Abstract

As the incidence of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) continues to rise, topical therapies will be used with increasing frequency. Topical therapies are currently being utilized as primary or adjunctive means of treating an array of NMSCs. Although surgical therapies, such as Mohs Micrographic Surgery (MMS), remain the mainstay for tumor removal, topical therapy provides an alternative treatment modality for some skin cancer patients as well as serving as a useful adjunct to surgery. Topical therapies may also increase overall efficacy by treating subclinical lesions and identifying asymmetrical growth of NMSCs. In some patients, such as high-risk surgical candidates, they can be used to avoid surgery altogether or to minimize the extent of surgery. Topical therapies may also be helpful in a diagnostic manner. In instances where biopsy sites are equivocal, topical therapies may facilitate tumor identification prior to surgery. © 2010 Springer-Verlag New York.