5-FLUOROURACIL IONTOPHORETIC THERAPY FOR BOWENS-DISEASE

Background: Topical 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) is an accepted therapy for B owen's disease, Recurrences with this method have been attributed to d eep follicular involvement and poor patient compliance because of the prolonged treatment time required. Objective: We sought to determine w hether iontophoresis of 5-FU is an effective therapy for Bowen's disea se. Methods: Twenty-six patients with biopsy-proven Bowen's disease re ceived eight 5-FU iontophoretic treatments in 4 weeks, Local excision was done 3 months after the last treat ment. The specimens were step-s ectioned and evaluated for any histologic evidence of bowenoid changes , Results: Only 1 of 26 patients showed histologic evidence of Bowen's disease 3 months after treatment, Conclusion: 5-FU iontophoresis appe ars to be a safe, effective, and well-tolerated therapy for Bowen's di sease.