Topical Treatment of Skin Squamous Cell Carcinoma with Potassium Dobesilate Cream

Abstract

Skin squamous cell carcinoma, the second most common skin cancer arises from the malignant proliferation of keratinocytes in the epidermis. Although it is locally invasive, surgical excision or topical therapy is usually curative. However, surgical management of skin squamous cell carcinoma located in certain regions of the body may require reconstructive procedures. This can result in significant scarring and increased morbidity and dysfunction. Topical therapy may be preferable to surgery depending on anatomic localizations, and in instances where patients reject it or are poor surgical candidates. Fibroblast growth factors are variously implicated in skin tumorigenesis where they may be involved in the enhancement of tumor cell proliferation and viability, induction of angiogenesis and stimulation of tumor invasiveness. We investigated the efficacy and safety of the fibroblast growth factor inhibitor, dobesilate, administered as a 5% potassium cream, for the treatment of skin squamous cell carcinoma. Two months application of dobesilate cleared squamous cell carcinoma probably due to inhibition of cell proliferation and angiogenesis, and induction of tumor cell apoptosis. No local side effects were observed in relation with treatment. This report highlights the need for efficient and safe topical therapies in the management of skin neoplasms and supports the use of potassium dobesilate in non-melanoma skin cancers treatment.