Korean J Dermatol.  2020 Mar;58(3):155-161.

The Effectiveness and Local Skin Reactions of Ingenol Mebutate Gel in Patients with Actinic Keratosis

• Shin YB
• Kim CY

Abstract

Background
Actinic keratosis (AK) is a common skin disease caused by exposure to ultraviolet light that can progress to invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Ingenol mebutate (IM), a novel agent for field therapy of AK, has been widely used, but research on its effectiveness has focused more on Caucasian rather than Asian people.
Objective
The effectiveness and local skin reaction of IM gel treatment in Koreans were investigated through long-term follow-up.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed 17 patients histopathologically diagnosed with AK on the face/scalp and treated with IM gel (0.015%) between 2015 and 2017. The clinical efficacy and local skin reactions were assessed from medical records. The long-term effects of IM gel treatment were evaluated after 6 months of treatment. Results: Nine of the 17 (52.9%) subjects had a complete response at day 57. Although the patients developed erythema (100%), flaking/scaling (76%), crusting (47%), swelling (64%), vesiculation/pustulation (70%), and erosion/ ulceration (35%) as a local skin reactions at day 4, most of these reactions had disappeared at day 57. Most of the patients (76.5%) complained of pain or irritation as side effects. The long-term efficacy was assessed in two patients with a complete response at day 57 and the complete response was sustained for all patients at 6 months.
Conclusion
IM seems to be an effective field therapy for multiple AK lesions with short-term use and stability. Further studies are needed on the effects of IM therapy in the Korean population.

Keyword

Actinic keratosis; Field therapy; Ingenol mebutate