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Study: No need to determine histological parameters prior to noninvasive treatment of superficial BCC

There was no significant need to determine tumor thickness or adnexal extension prior to deciding on noninvasive treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma, according to researchers’ findings.

The researchers derived data from a recently published, randomized, controlled trial on the effectiveness of methylaminolevulinate-photodynamic therapy (MAL-PDT), imiquimod and 5-flurouracil (FU) for treating superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC). Study data comprised 601 patients randomly assigned to one of the treatment groups between March 2008 and August 2010 at seven hospitals in the Netherlands. Data on tumor thickness and adnexal extension were retrospectively collected for 112 tumors with treatment failure and a randomly selected control of group of 224 tumors without failure. Clinically and histologically persistent or recurrent tumor within 1-year post-treatment was used to describe treatment failure.

All patients had tumor thickness of 0.2 mm to 1 mm. The researchers found treatment failure of MAL-PDT, imiquimod or 5-FU was not significantly associated with tumor thickness or adnexal extension of sBCC. Median thickness was 0.35 mm (range: 0.20 mm to 0.85 mm) and adnexal extension present in 10% of the tumors that failed treatment, whereas median thickness was 0.35 mm (range: 0.20 mm to 1 mm) and adnexal extension present in 14% of tumors without failure.

The researchers concluded that no evidence was present demonstrating the need for taking histological parameters into account before deciding upon adequate treatment for patients with sBCC. – by Bruce Thiel

Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.