Chemotherapy drug may treat skin conditions

A cream version of an intravenous drug used to treat colon cancers and other tumors can be used to fight the skin damage caused by years of sun exposure, according to a new report.

The medication—fluorouracil—may also reduce the number of potentially precancerous skin patches known as actinic keratoses, Dr. Dana L. Sachs, from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and colleagues report in the Archives of Dermatology for June.

In the study, 21 healthy people, aged 56 to 85, with actinic keratoses and sun damage were treated with a 5 percent fluorouracil cream for 2 weeks.

Subjects saw the number of actinic keratoses drop by about 90 percent, and saw an improvement in symptoms such as wrinkles and sallow skin. Most patients said they were willing to undergo treatment again, even though the medication leads to temporary inflammation and discoloration of the skin.

Other medications similar to fluorouracil are also likely to restore sun-damaged skin, the authors note.

SOURCE: Archives of Dermatology, June 2009.