Successful treatment of three cases of primary extramammary Paget's disease of the vulva with Imiquimod--proposal of a therapeutic schedule.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is an intraepidermal adenocarcinoma of apocrine gland-bearing skin. Although surgery remains the mainstay of treatment, loss of tissue function and high recurrence rates have been reported. Recently, topical Imiquimod has been shown as a safe and effective treatment option for extramammary Paget's disease.

METHODS

Three patients diagnosed of EMPD of the vulva were treated with a daily application of 5% Imiquimod cream for three weeks, followed by an every other day application for an additional three weeks.

RESULTS

Complete clinical and histological remission of the disease was achieved in the three patients. Mild irritation and tenderness were observed as the only side effects.

CONCLUSION

Based on our results, we consider that Imiquimod cream is a safe and effective therapeutic option for the treatment of vulvar EMPD. These promising results warrant further studies to determine the real efficacy and safety of Imiquimod 5% cream for the treatment of this uncommon disease.