Imiquimod
Imiquimod (Aldara) is a cream that provokes the skin's own immune system to clear superficial basal cell carcinomas and the sun-damage patches (actinic keratoses) that can turn into skin cancer.
Overview
Imiquimod 5% cream was approved in 1997 for external genital warts and in 2004 for actinic keratosis and for superficial basal cell carcinoma up to 2 cm in immunocompetent adults when surgery is less appropriate, on vehicle-controlled trials with histological clearance in about three-quarters of treated sBCC lesions. Zyclara 2.5% and 3.75% (2010) offers a shorter field regimen for actinic keratosis. The EU authorised Aldara in 1998 with the same three indications. It is applied five times a week for six weeks for sBCC; local inflammation, erosion and flu-like symptoms are expected and predict response. Long-term recurrence is higher than after excision, so it is reserved for low-risk lesions.
Approvals
| Region | Year | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| US | 1997 | External genital and perianal warts |
| US | 2004 | Actinic keratosis; superficial basal cell carcinoma in immunocompetent adults |
| EU | 1998 | Genital warts, superficial basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis (Aldara) |
Trials
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Latest papers
topQuery for this drug: (TITLE:"Imiquimod" OR ABSTRACT:"Imiquimod" OR TITLE:"Aldara" OR ABSTRACT:"Aldara" OR TITLE:"Zyclara" OR ABSTRACT:"Zyclara") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Imiquimod, not a curated reading list.
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