Introduction
Actinic keratoses (AKs) are common skin lesions association with increased exposure to ultraviolet radiation; these lesions have the potential to transform into squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs).1 Therapeutic options for AKs vary depending on the number of lesions and overall skin involvement. Destructive lesion-directed therapies, such as cryosurgery, are appropriate for patients with few AKs; patients with a higher number of lesions often require field-directed therapies, which are capable of treating not only a larger number of visible lesions over a greater area of skin, but subclinical disease as well.1 Options for field therapies include patient-administered therapies such as imiquimod, fluorouracil, and ingenol mebutate, and physician-administered therapies such as photodynamic therapy (PDT), among others.2 Each treatment option has distinct advantages and disadvantages with regards to overall efficacy, safety, cost, and feasibility (Table 1).1-3 Patient preferences with regards to tolerance of side effects, therapy convenience, and cost of treatment are important considerations when choosing a therapy.
