Topical Skin cancer treatments

Not all skin cancer needs surgery – topical skin cancer treatment

Key Takeaways

• Better cosmetic outcome than surgery or cryotherapy.
• Cost effective 
• Treat extensive areas in a single session. 
• Suitable for both face and body
• Long-lasting results 
• Only suitable for specific lesions

Topical Skin Cancer treatments involve the use of medicated creams that a applied to the skin, either in the clinic or at home. The three treatment options available at Shellharbour Skin are Imiquimod cream (Aldara), Fluorouracil (Efudix) which are at home treatments and Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA) that is activated by light, known as Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT).  

Topical skin cancer treatments can address the unsightly cosmetic outcomes of sun damaged skin, as well as pre-cancerous lesions, actinic keratoses and superficial skin cancers such as bowens disease and superficial basal cell carcinomas. Common treatment areas: face, decolletage, and hands. We can also treat other body areas as needed. 

Dr. Barney Gordon completes a comprehensive skin cancer check prior to topical skin cancer treatment. Dr. Barney may take biopsies to confirm the diagnosis of lesions if needed.  

Table – Topical skin cancer treatment at a glance

Indications: Sun damaged skin, sunspots, solar keratosis, actinic keratosis, bowens disease and intraepidermal squamous cell carcinoma

Treatment time: 3 hrs for PDT, 28 days for Efudix, 6 weeks for Aldara 

Number of treatments recommended: Varies

Duration of results: clearances rates above 95%

Downtime and anesthesia: Varies

Cost: $

Topical Skin Cancer treatments involve the use of medicated creams that can be applied to the skin, either in the clinic or at home. The three treatment options available at Shellharbour Skin are Imiquimod cream (Aldara), Fluorouracil (Efudix) which are at home treatments and Aminolevulinic Acid (ALA) that is activated by light, known as Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT).  

Topical skin cancer treatments can address the unsightly cosmetic outcomes of sun damaged skin, as well as pre-cancerous lesions, actinic keratoses and superficial skin cancers such as bowens disease and superficial basal cell carcinomas. Common treatment areas: face, decolletage, and hands. We can also treat other body areas as needed. 

Dr. Barney Gordon completes a comprehensive skin cancer check prior to topical skin cancer treatment. Dr. Barney Gordon may take biopsies to confirm the diagnosis of lesions if needed.  

Topical Skin Cancer Treatment Options

Imiquimod cream (Aldara) 

Aldara cream is a topical cream indicated to treat skin cancers and premalignant disease. Aldara is the trade name for the chemical Imiquimod 5%. Patients apply the cream at night before bed, with the frequency and duration of use prescribed depending on the indication. Typical treatment is for 6 weeks, followed by 2 weeks of healing. Inflammation is a sign the treatment is working. The more inflamed, the better the outcome. The treated areas peel, blister and scab over as the treatment takes effect, destroying the target area over the course of the treatment.  

Flurouracil (Efudix) 

Efudix cream is used to treat sunspots and early stages of superficial squamous skin cancers. Efudix targets the problem cells while keeping the healthy skin cells intact.  
After 5 to 10 days of treatment, the sun-damaged parts of treated skin become red and scaly. As the treatment continues, the sun-damaged parts of the treated skin may develop sores and crusts. These raw areas result from the destruction of defective skin cells. Patients apply the cream at night before at least 1 hour for bed for 28 days.

General timeline for Efudix  

• Week 1: Mild redness
• Week 2 to 3: Red, crusted, uncomfortable  
• Week 3 to 4: Peeling and blistering

You may notice redness and inflammation in nearby areas of skin that did not appear to have any abnormalities. This is because of the invisible abnormal cells in your skin. If you have many abnormal cells and lesions, you can expect to develop more redness and inflammation than a person who has a single area of abnormality. 

Photo Dynamic Therapy (PDT)  

PDT is an effective method for treating sun damage (solar keratoses) and shallow skin cancers (superficial BCCs). This is an in clinic treatment option offered at Shellharbour Skin. The treatment comprises two 30 minutes of appointments, on the same day, 3 hours apart. During your first appointment, our staff will cleanse the area and apply a cream and dressing to your skin. At your second appointment 3 hours later, the doctor will remove the dressing and cream, and then place the area under a large powerful LED light that activates the cream. The activated agent selectively destroys only the skin cancer cells. PDT can produce excellent cosmetic improvements, as well as removing the problem cells. 

Benefits of Topical Skin Cancer Treatment:  

• Non-surgical option for treatment of sun damage and skin cancers  
• The risk of hypopigmentation which can occur with cryotherapy, is significantly reduced.
• Quick in clinic appointment with Dr Barney Gordon 
• Sometimes, you can apply topical cream from the comfort of home.
• Improved overall cosmetic outcomes, especially with Photo Dynamic Therapy