Case report: effectiveness of self-made fluorouracil 5% cream intreating large area of basal cell carcinoma

Abstract

Background: Basal Cell Carcinoma is slow-growing malignant tumor. It does not usually metastases but can become larger and destructive to surrounding skin. Surgical excision is first-line treatment. Fluorouracil 5% cream (5-FU) is generally not used to treat superficial BCC as it is less effective than imiquimod but may be considered as an alternative in treating small and affected in many parts of body, where surgical excision or other treatments such as cryotherapy are not practical or desirable by the patient. Fluorouracil cream 5% is not available in Indonesia, so we developed our self-made 5-FU from the chemotherapy solution.

Case Presentation: The patients with basal cell carcinoma diagnosed based on the biopsy. The patient has multiple on his forehead. Those patients clinically have red and scaly plaques lesions. After given self-made 5-FU cream that was made from 5-FU chemotherapy solution that was mixed with topical ointment, patients show improvement clinically.

Conclusion: Fluorouracil cream 5% was available in other countries in 50 mg/g. It can be used on superficial BCC patient twice daily for six to twelve weeks. It may be used as an alternative, but it associated with a high rate of recurrence. In Indonesia, there were no availability of Fluorouracil cream 5%. Self-made 5-FU cream may serve as an alternative in treating superficial and large area of basal cell carcinoma.