Imiquimod therapy for extramammary Paget's disease of the vulva: a viable non-surgical alternative

J Obstet Gynaecol. 2013 Jul;33(5):479-83. doi: 10.3109/01443615.2013.790348.

Abstract

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a rare intraepidermal adenocarcinoma that can affect the vulval skin. Surgical excision is the gold-standard treatment, however, recurrence rates are high and extensive excisions can produce long-lasting cosmetic and functional defects. We describe one of the largest case series to-date (n = 6) on the use of topical 5% imiquimod cream as a novel treatment option and discuss our experiences. With the addition of our six cases to the literature, there are now 29 documented cases of vulval EMPD treated with 5% imiquimod cream. Of these, 50% of primary disease cases and 73% of recurrent primary disease cases have achieved clinical resolution with 5% imiquimod therapy alone. These findings suggest that imiquimod provides a viable alternative to surgical excision for vulval EMPD. However, we acknowledge that this is a simple retrospective analysis and that treatment scheduling and follow-up needs investigation in a trial setting.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Cutaneous
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aminoquinolines / administration & dosage*
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Clobetasol / administration & dosage
  • Clobetasol / analogs & derivatives
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Imiquimod
  • Middle Aged
  • Paget Disease, Extramammary / drug therapy*
  • Vulvar Neoplasms / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Aminoquinolines
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • clobetasone butyrate
  • Clobetasol
  • Imiquimod