Ensayo clínico: la infiltración intralesional con metotrexato de forma neoadyuvante en la cirugía del queratoacantoma permite obtener mejores resultados estéticos y funcionales / Intralesional Infusion of Methotrexate as Neoadjuvant Therapy Improves the Cosmetic and Functional Results of Surgery to Treat Keratoacanthoma: Results of a Randomized Trial

Introducción: El queratoacantoma es considerado hoy día un carcinoma epidermoide in situ que aparece principalmente en pacientes mayores de 70 años. Se trata de un tumor de buen pronóstico que, en algunos casos, muestra resolución espontánea.El tratamiento de este tipo de tumoración es la exéresis simple. Sin embargo, la localización preferente en las regiones facial y acral, el tamaño y su rápido crecimiento son factores que hacen que la cirugía sea en algunos casos agresiva y antiestética. Objetivo: El objetivo principal del estudio es evaluar la eficacia de la infiltración intralesional de metotrexato en la reducción del tamaño prequirúrgico de la lesión y del correspondiente defecto quirúrgico resultante de la intervención. Material y métodos: Se realizó un estudio prospectivo aleatorizado en el que se incluyeron todos aquellos pacientes atendidos en nuestro Servicio diagnosticados de queratoacantoma de al menos 1,5cm de tamaño entre enero de 2009 y enero de 2010. Se establecieron dos grupos, uno en el que los pacientes recibieron una infiltración de metotrexato previamente al acto quirúrgico y otro en el que se realizó directamente la cirugía. Resultados: De los 25 pacientes incluidos en el estudio, 10 casos recibieron neoadyuvancia con metotrexato intralesional (grupo A) y 15 casos fueron intervenidos mediante cirugía aislada (grupo B).Los pacientes del grupo A mostraron una reducción en el tamaño tumoral en el momento de la cirugía que osciló entre un 50 y un 80%. Ninguno de los pacientes presentó complicaciones relacionadas con la inoculación del metotrexato ni con la intervención quirúrgica. En el grupo B sólo uno de los casos mostró una discreta disminución de sus dimensiones en el momento del acto quirúrgico. El resto de las lesiones mostraron una estabilidad (4 casos; 26%) e incluso un aumento de las dimensiones del tumor (10 casos; 66%) en el momento de la intervención. Cinco de los casos incluidos en este último grupo requirieron ingreso hospitalario en relación con la intervención quirúrgica. Conclusiones: El metotrexato intralesional como terapia neoadyuvante es una medida bien tolerada, que permite evitar cirugías agresivas en pacientes de edades avanzadas que presentan un queratoacantoma de diámetro superior a 1,5cm localizado en la región facial y acral (AU)

Background: Keratoacanthoma is currently considered to be an in situ squamous cell carcinoma that mainly affects patients over 70 years of age. The tumor has a good prognosis and, in some cases, can resolve spontaneously. Treatment involves simple excision. However, since the tumors generally occur on the face or extremities and display rapid growth, aggressive surgery may be required and the cosmetic results may be poor. Objective: The primary study objective was assessment of the efficacy of presurgical intralesional methotrexate infiltration to reduce the size of the tumor and the corresponding surgical defect. Material and methods: A prospective, randomized study was undertaken in patients with a diagnosis of keratoacanthoma of at least 1.5cm who were seen in our service between January 2009 and January 2010. Two groups were established: one receiving a single infiltration of methotrexate prior to surgery and another that did not receive methotrexate. Results: Of the 25 patients included in the study, 10 received neoadjuvant intralesional methotrexate (group A) and 15 underwent surgery without prior infiltration of methotrexate (group B). The patients in group A displayed a reduction of between 50% and 80% in the size of the lesion prior to surgery. No complications were observed either in relation to methotrexate infusion or surgery. In group B, only 1 patient had a slight reduction in the dimensions of the lesion prior to surgery. In the remaining cases, the lesions remained similar (4 cases, 26%) or had increased in size (10 cases, 66%) at the time of surgery. Five patients in this group required hospital admission following surgery. Conclusions: Neoadjuvant intralesional methotrexate is well tolerated and reduces the need for aggressive surgery in elderly patients with keratoacanthoma measuring more than 1.5cm on the face or extremities (AU)

[Intralesional infusion of methotrexate as neoadjuvant therapy improves the cosmetic and functional results of surgery to treat keratoacanthoma: results of a randomized trial]. / Ensayo clínico: la infiltración intralesional con metotrexato de forma neoadyuvante en la cirugía del queratoacantoma permite obtener mejores resultados estéticos y funcionales.

BACKGROUND: Keratoacanthoma is currently considered to be an in situ squamous cell carcinoma that mainly affects patients over 70 years of age. The tumor has a good prognosis and, in some cases, can resolve spontaneously. Treatment involves simple excision. However, since the tumors generally occur on the face or extremities and display rapid growth, aggressive surgery may be required and the cosmetic results may be poor. OBJECTIVE: The primary study objective was assessment of the efficacy of presurgical intralesional methotrexate infiltration to reduce the size of the tumor and the corresponding surgical defect. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A prospective, randomized study was undertaken in patients with a diagnosis of keratoacanthoma of at least 1.5 cm who were seen in our service between January 2009 and January 2010. Two groups were established: one receiving a single infiltration of methotrexate prior to surgery and another that did not receive methotrexate. RESULTS: Of the 25 patients included in the study, 10 received neoadjuvant intralesional methotrexate (group A) and 15 underwent surgery without prior infiltration of methotrexate (group B). The patients in group A displayed a reduction of between 50% and 80% in the size of the lesion prior to surgery. No complications were observed either in relation to methotrexate infusion or surgery. In group B, only 1 patient had a slight reduction in the dimensions of the lesion prior to surgery. In the remaining cases, the lesions remained similar (4 cases, 26%) or had increased in size (10 cases, 66%) at the time of surgery. Five patients in this group required hospital admission following surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Neoadjuvant intralesional methotrexate is well tolerated and reduces the need for aggressive surgery in elderly patients with keratoacanthoma measuring more than 1.5 cm on the face or extremities.