“Immunocryosurgery” refers to the combination of cryosurgery during immunostimulatory therapy, presently with topical imiquimod. A typical cycle of immunocryosurgery consists of 5 weeks of daily imiquimod and a session of cryosurgery applied at the end of the second week as two freeze-thaw cycle sessions (open spray, liquid N2, 10–20 s “effective freezing time” each). Immunocryosurgery has been successfully employed for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma, Bowen’s disease of the skin, actinic keratoses, solar cheilosis (actinic cheilitis), lentigo maligna, keratoacanthoma, Kaposi sarcoma, locally recurrent Merkel cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma and, in a modified, less intense scheme, for benign skin conditions like genital warts and pyogenic granuloma. However, the most experience has been acquired for basal cell carcinoma, in which one standard, 5-week treatment cycle can achieve clearance in 95% of tumors ≤2 cm in diameter, with cycle repeats increasing this rate up to 99%. Also, for larger lesions, repeated cycles and/or extended treatment periods offer effective control of the tumor. Targeted adjuvants, such as the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody bevacizumab, seem to enhance the efficacy of this approach. The nose, eyelids, and ears are probably the most rewarding skin areas to apply this therapeutic modality on basal cell carcinoma, while treatments of perioral and lip lesions inflict a significant treatment burden, for which the patient must be warned. The efficacy of immunocryosurgery signifies the potential of a nonsurgical, combination approach for the treatment of skin neoplasms, particularly of basal cell carcinomas. Apart from squamous cell carcinoma, the results from the treatment of other nonmelanoma skin cancers have been quite encouraging, and clinical trials with a large series of patients are required to establish the efficacy for additional indications.

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Immunocryosurgery for Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer: Applications and Practical Tips

  • Georgios Gaitanis,
  • Ioannis D. Bassukas

摘要

“Immunocryosurgery” refers to the combination of cryosurgery during immunostimulatory therapy, presently with topical imiquimod. A typical cycle of immunocryosurgery consists of 5 weeks of daily imiquimod and a session of cryosurgery applied at the end of the second week as two freeze-thaw cycle sessions (open spray, liquid N2, 10–20 s “effective freezing time” each). Immunocryosurgery has been successfully employed for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma, Bowen’s disease of the skin, actinic keratoses, solar cheilosis (actinic cheilitis), lentigo maligna, keratoacanthoma, Kaposi sarcoma, locally recurrent Merkel cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma and, in a modified, less intense scheme, for benign skin conditions like genital warts and pyogenic granuloma. However, the most experience has been acquired for basal cell carcinoma, in which one standard, 5-week treatment cycle can achieve clearance in 95% of tumors ≤2 cm in diameter, with cycle repeats increasing this rate up to 99%. Also, for larger lesions, repeated cycles and/or extended treatment periods offer effective control of the tumor. Targeted adjuvants, such as the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibody bevacizumab, seem to enhance the efficacy of this approach. The nose, eyelids, and ears are probably the most rewarding skin areas to apply this therapeutic modality on basal cell carcinoma, while treatments of perioral and lip lesions inflict a significant treatment burden, for which the patient must be warned. The efficacy of immunocryosurgery signifies the potential of a nonsurgical, combination approach for the treatment of skin neoplasms, particularly of basal cell carcinomas. Apart from squamous cell carcinoma, the results from the treatment of other nonmelanoma skin cancers have been quite encouraging, and clinical trials with a large series of patients are required to establish the efficacy for additional indications.