A comparison of the effects of intralesional interferon α-2b and topical 5% 5-fluorouracil cream in the treatment of solar keratoses and Bowen's disease

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Abstract
In a comparative study, the efficacy of intralesional α-2b interferon in the treatment of premalignant epidermal lesions was compared with that of topical 5% 5-fluorouracil cream (5-FU). The histological changes that occurred during treatment with these agents were also assessed. Twenty patients (ten in each treatment group) were studied. All patients had either solar keratoses or Bowen's disease, and the clinical diagnosis was confirmed histologically before entry into the study. Patients in the interferon treatment group were treated by twice weekly intralesional injection of interferon α-2b, 1000 000 units/injection, over a 4-week period (a total dose of 8 000 000 units). Patients treated with cream were instructed to apply the cream to the affected area twice daily for 2 weeks. Further clinical and histological assessment was made at 4 and 8 weeks following the onset of treatment. At 8 weeks, nine out of ten lesions treated with interferon had resolved, compared with ten out of ten lesions in the 5-FU group. However, there were significant differences between the two groups in the histological response to treatment. At 4 weeks, there was a significant increase in the degree of basal cell liquefaction in the interferon group (P < 0.05). At 8 weeks, ceil death within the epidermis was greater in the interferontreated group (P = 0.05).