5-Fluorouracil in Dermatology: The Diverse Uses Beyond Malignant and Premalignant Skin Disease. Issue 3 (10th March 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Searle, Tamara; Al-Niaimi, Firas; Ali, Faisal R.
• Is Part Of: Dermatologic surgery. Volume 47:Issue 3(2021)
• Page Start: e66
• Page End: e70
• Publication Date: 2021-03-10
• Subjects: Skin -- Surgery -- Periodicals; Skin -- Diseases -- Surgery -- Periodicals; 617.477
• DOI: 10.1097/DSS.0000000000002879
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1076-0512

Abstract

Abstract : BACKGROUND: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is widely used for treatment of malignant and premalignant skin cancers; however, its use in other common cutaneous conditions has been less widely reported. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the off-label uses of 5-FU beyond malignant and premalignant skin disease. METHODS: We conducted a literature review searching multiple databases to evaluate the evidence for the off-label uses of 5-FU. The level of evidence was evaluated and selected accordingly listing the studies with the highest level of evidence first using the Oxford Centre of Evidence-Based Medicine 2011 guidance. RESULTS: We found underlying evidence to support the use of 5-FU for a wide range of noncancerous cutaneous indications including scarring (keloid, hypertrophic), pigmentary disorders (vitiligo, idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis), cutaneous infections (viral warts, molluscum contagiosum), inflammatory dermatoses (Darier's disease, Hailey-Hailey disease and sarcoidosis), and cosmetic indications (photoaging, treatment of filler nodules and granulomas). CONCLUSION: In selected patients, 5-FU can be as effective as more established treatments, with fewer side-effects.