Letter from the editor: Hyperthermia for cutaneous warts

Abstract

In this issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Qi et al present data suggesting that targeted therapy of a single lesion with hyperthermia can result in the regression of multiple cutaneous warts. The treatment of cutaneous verrucae remains problematic with many modalities in use and a high rate of recurrence. Cryotherapy remains the standard therapy, but treatments can be painful. Other treatment choices range from laser and other forms of surgical ablation to topical acids, imiquimod, 5-fluoruracil, and candida antigen, attesting to the refractory nature of warts in many patients. Clearance of multiple cutaneous warts by targeting a single lesion: A randomized comparative evaluation of mild local hyperthermia versus cryotherapyJournal of the American Academy of DermatologyVol. 87Issue 6PreviewTo the Editor: Multiple mucocutaneous warts are common in patients due to virus spreading or self-inoculation, as exemplified by 22.2% of the patients with plantar warts having more than one lesion.1 Specific immune responses against human papillomavirus-harboring lesions contribute to self-regression or treatment-mediated clearance of warts. As such, the treatment-induced immune response to one target lesion could likely initiate the immune-mediated clearance of untargeted or remote lesions in patients with multiple warts containing the same human papillomavirus types. Full-Text PDF