Videodermatoscopy of Lentigo MalignaTreated With Imiquimod

November 2008 | Volume 7 | Issue 11 | Case Reports | 1077 | Copyright © November 2008


Giuseppe Micali MD, Francesco Lacarrubba MD,Beatrice Nardone MD, Maria Rita Nasca MD

Abstract
Lentigo maligna (LM) is an in situ variant of cutaneous melanoma, which usually occurs in sun-damaged skin. Surgical treatment of LM is often difficult and not well accepted by patients, as lesions are usually quite large and located on the face. Imiquimod 5% cream is a local immune response modifier that has been used off-label to treat LM. The authors report of 2 female patients with LM on the nose (aged 39 and 48 years) treated with imiquimod 5% cream applied 5 times a week for a total duration of 4 months. Videodermatoscopy, a noninvasive diagnostic technique, was used to address the diagnosis and to monitor treatment response with imiquimod therapy and during follow-up. At the end of the treatment period, the lesions had cleared in both patients, with no evident remnants confirmed by videodermatoscopy. The patients refused to undergo a control biopsy, but complied for a 30-month followed-up period which revealed no evident changes. The authors' experience, in agreement with other clinical reports and open trials, suggests that topical imiquimod is a valuable treatment option capable of leading LM to clinical clearance.