5-Fluorouracil iontophoretic therapy for Bowen's disease

• Published in: Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology Vol. 36; no. 6; pp. 956 - 958
• Main Authors: Welch, Mark L., Grabski, William J., McCollough, Martha L., Skelton, Henry G., Smith, Kathleen J., Menon, Padman A., Anderson, Lawrence L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Mosby, Inc 01-06-1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic - administration & dosage; Antineoplastic agents; Biological and medical sciences; Bowen's Disease - drug therapy; Bowen's Disease - pathology; Chemotherapy; Dermatology; Female; Fluorouracil - administration & dosage; Humans; Iontophoresis; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Skin Neoplasms - drug therapy; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; Tumors of the skin and soft tissue. Premalignant lesions; Antineoplastic agent; Human; Dyskeratosis; Iontophoresis; Local administration; Skin disease; Chemotherapy; Premalignant lesion; Treatment efficiency; Fluoropyrimidine derivatives; Bowen disease; Fluorouracil
• ISSN: 0190-9622; 1097-6787
• DOI: 10.1016/S0190-9622(97)80280-0

Topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is an accepted therapy for Bowen's disease. Recurrences with this method have been attributed to deep follicular involvement and poor patient compliance because of the prolonged treatment time required.
We sought to determine whether iontophoresis of 5-FU is an effective therapy for Bowen's disease.
Twenty-six patients with biopsy-proven Bowen's disease received eight 5-FU iontophoretic treatments in 4 weeks. Local excision was done 3 months after the last treatment. The specimens were step-sectioned and evaluated for any histologic evidence of bowenoid changes.
Only 1 of 26 patients showed histologic evidence of Bowen's disease 3 months after treatment.
5-FU iontophoresis appears to be a safe, effective, and well-tolerated therapy for Bowen's disease.