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dan
384 Posts |
 Posted - 03/27/2007 : 23:20:43
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Has anyone here tried Aldara? Do dermatologists now suggest Aldara as a skin cancer treatment option? I regard this topical prescription skin cancer cream as a promising development because it actually works with the immune system, a sort of breakthrough for the cancer industry. A good forum for patient experiences with Adara is at http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20723&name=ALDARA
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rocco
77 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2007 : 09:23:24
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I am curious as well as to actual cases using imiquimod 5%. I ran into these abstracts yesterday, and they sound promising for treatment with the cream. Here are some portions of the abstracts:
This one is from May 2007, so it is very current.
"We present our experience of the treatment of 96 patients with BCCs during the period March 2002 to February 2004 at the Dermatology Department, Hospital Clinico S. Cecilio, Granada, Spain. One hundred and forty-one tumors (nodular, superficial, and pearly/ulcerated clinical types) were treated with imiquimod. Results The clinical cure rate at 12 months was 80-85%. Conclusion Our experience indicates that imiquimod is a reasonable option for the treatment of BCC. It is low cost, can be delivered via ambulatory care, and has tolerable side-effects."
and some others,
"Several prospective, randomised, double-blind, vehicle-controlled studies have established the efficacy of imiquimod for superficial BCC.This review summarises the evidence regarding the mechanism, efficacy and safety of pharmacological agents based on the literature from the past 10 years. Experimental treatments that have been successfully utilised in the treatment of BCC are also discussed. Treatment of BCC with other agents, such as tazarotene, glycoalkaloid (BEC-5) cream, cidofovir and calcium dobesilate have been reported, but further studies are needed to ascertain the efficacy and adverse-effect profiles of these treatments."
" A 65-year-old male had an asymptomatic, hyperpigmented, slowly progressive, indurated, 3 x 4 cm plaque on the left cheek for two months. Biopsy from the lesion showed features of basal cell carcinoma. The patient was treated with imiquimod 5% cream, topically three times a week for six months with complete resolution of the lesion and without any side-effects. "
"This phase III, open-label study evaluates the long-term (5 years) clinical efficacy and safety of dosing once daily, for which this manuscript reports the 2-year time point in the follow-up period. For the 169 enrolled subjects, the tumour selected for treatment was assessed clinically to determine initial clearance at the 12-week post-treatment visit. If clinically clear of superficial basal cell carcinoma, subjects entered a 5-year, long-term follow-up period. Subjects were evaluated for recurrence at the 3-, 6-, 12- and 24-month follow-up visits. The initial clearance rate at 12 weeks post treatment was 94.1%. The proportion of subjects who were clinically clear at the 2-year follow-up visit was estimated to be 82.0%. Imiquimod was tolerated when applied daily, with erythema reported for all subjects participating in the study."
There are a lot more. Go to the pubmed website
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed
and search for "imiquimod 5% skin cancer" or something like that. It sounds like something that I may have to ask the doctor more about. I did read a lot of those side effects from the site you linked...sounds bad in some cases, but I wonder what the percentage of incidence of side effects really is?
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Kathi
6 Posts |
Posted - 05/18/2007 : 19:05:35
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| I'd like to share my experience with Aldera. I had a basal cell removed on the top of my scalp with the CO2 laser and then followed it up with Aldera every other day for two weeks. I had absolutely no adverse reaction. The site turned red and itched slightly but that was it. I never felt bad or had any symptoms that would make me not want to use this treatment again. Hope this helps you, I think this forum is great! |
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CJC
1 Posts |
Posted - 06/04/2007 : 12:04:35
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| I used aldara on a basal cell carcinoma a couple years ago before it was approved. It worked like magic. I put it on every other day for 6-weeks,,, it got really bad, as the cancer was being destroyed,, but at the end of the 6-weeks it was just gone... the skin was slightly lighter than before, but now I can't even tell where it was.. good stuff and cheaper than surgery. |
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Winky
USA
2 Posts |
Posted - 06/08/2007 : 22:47:38
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I recently completed treatment of squamous cell cancer of the scalp with Aldara 5% cream. Before beginning treatment, I searched the web for information about the drug and read many horror stories that unnecessarily increased my anxiety.
Treatment consisted of daily application of the cream to the lesion and surrounding area for five consecutive days followed by two days off for six consecutive weeks.
The treatment wasn't at all painful although during week three the blood vessel on the left side of my forehead became very prominent, almost alarmingly so. During weeks three and four, I experienced some leakage of serum from the scab that formed and throughout the treatment period slept with a towel on my pillow. It was obvious during the sixth week of treatment that the immune response was subsiding presumably because the cancer had been eradicated.
Ten days after completing the treatment I returned to my dermatologist. He was absolutely ecstatic at how well I had done. He was so proud of me evidently because there is poor compliance to the treatment. As I mentioned before, the treatment wasn't painful, but it was very unsightly. I had a very large, itchy scab at this time that he painlessly removed during the visit. Removal of the scab revealed new skin devoid of lesions. Follow-up treatment consists of the application of Biafine emulsion to the area two times a day until used up. Of course, as it was cancer, I will have to make regular appointments to be checked for future lesions.
I think Aldara is a wonderful cancer treatment. The area attacked by my immune system was far larger than the visible lesion, which indicated to me there was a large pre cancerous area of my scalp not revealed by the biopsies. In fact, one biopsy result of a lesion was harmless “flat age spot”, yet my immune system went after it with a vengeance. In other words, Aldara and your immune system have greater powers of discrimination than a surgeon and pathologist. In addition, surgery, even by a skilled plastic surgeon, would have left scars. I just have new pink skin that doesn't exactly match the old existing skin.
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dan
384 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2007 : 17:40:47
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Winky, CJC, and Kathi,
Thanks for telling us about your experiences with Aldara. It looks like Aldara belongs on the "A" list. Remember that Aldara is available by prescription in the US and you may have to be proactive in suggesting it as an option to your doctor. Any more experiences are always welcome. |
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Carlson
16 Posts |
Posted - 06/10/2007 : 22:01:47
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I also talked to several people in the MOHS SURGERY waiting room and they told me that they had also used Aldera with great success, especially on cancers that were not too deep..
Carlson |
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rocco
77 Posts |
Posted - 07/12/2007 : 11:06:06
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Overheard in a restaurant recently...
There were two couples sitting two tables away from us in a restaurant the other night. I noticed one of the gentlemen as he came in...ruddy to fair complexion, seemed to have some scarring. It's sadly funny that I notice these things these days.
Anyway, the guy had a somewhat loud voice for restaurant talk and I couldn't help but overhear that he started talking about a cancer he had had on his lip.
He showed the other couple where it had been. He described the trip to a doctor, the biopsy, the getting of the results, the trip to a plastic surgeon. He said, "I knew I was in the wrong doctor's office when I walked in and it was 15' ceilings, mahogany walls,..." The surgeon told him he would need to remove about half of his lower lip.
In the meantime, a friend told him to go to M.D. Anderson, not accept these other doctors "cure". While he awaited the visit to M.D. Anderson he started applying, of all things, Medicated Chapstick to his lip. He claims that that alone cured the cancer on his lip. He held his lip out with his thumb and forefinger for all at the table to witness....(I know that has nothing to do with Aldara, but I found it very interesting, and the Aldara part is coming)
He made his trip to M.D. Anderson....and I couldn't hear all that was said regarding that trip. But, he also apparently had, or developed other cancerous spots as well. He got a prescription for Aldara from those guys and he said..."It saved my life" at one point. He even spelled A..L..D..A..R..A aloud for the benefit of one of his company. Obviously here was another person willing to recommend Aldara as a topical treatment...and dismiss cutting as the first option. |
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fforest
103 Posts |
Posted - 07/13/2007 : 15:48:44
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Anivoc said...
I've ordered Aldara and Retin A .05% from Medsmex before. Takes quite a while to get to you but definitely works.
Anivoc what was your experience with Aldara ?.... |
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Robertsdaughter
USA
1 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2007 : 15:09:03
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| My dad was prescribed Aldara for basal cell carcinoma on his lower lip two months ago. Now only has it not improved, it has been a nightmare of bleeding, pain and is now starting to impact the surrounding tissues. From what I have researched Aldara is not FDA approved for the face and can have serious ill effects. My advise to proceed with caution and do your own due diligence on this drug. |
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anivoc
276 Posts |
Posted - 09/29/2007 : 18:12:40
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quote:
Originally posted by fforest
Anivoc what was your experience with Aldara ?....
Well it is expensive and the box is getting dusty in my medicine cabinet.
I bought it to have a loaded gun just in case I couldn't find a easier way than bloodroot. I would rate aldara on a aggressive level of 8 if bloodroot is a 10 and efudex is a 6.
See my latest post in the Eggplant thread. |
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forest01
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 08/08/2009 : 09:52:57
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| In only 8 weeks Aldara cleared my anus of each and every condiloma including the ones that were in the rectum...i was feeling down about my illness and at the beginning i doubted alńdara could do anything if nothing to help me, but it turned out it absolutely healed me!!! i highly recommend it to everyone with my condition!!! And i easy to get it online by www.buyaldaracream.com |
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homestrong
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - 12/06/2009 : 13:40:08
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I was was diagnosed with a nBCC on the left nostril of my nose.
Nodal is the nasty BCC.
Mohs was recommended, of course, but the nose being arguably the
worst place to have a scar, I explored nearly every major
topical treatment on this site (Cymilium, Eggplant, Pancreatin, etc),
but have only seen ANY results from using Aldara.
Here's a set of photos on my nose, the first one being before
doing any ALDARA treatment, and the 2nd taken 4 months later,
after 2 separate 4/6 weeks, twice-a-day ALDARA treatments.
Clearly I've made some progress.
http://www.homestrong.com
Also I had done the 6 week,2x/day treatment on two separate sBCC,
and in fact, those sBCC are completely gone. sBCC is easier to
deal with, and ALDARA is especially effective on them.
I'm sold on Aldara. I plan to use it the rest of my life,
if possible. |
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Shafah
9 Posts |
Posted - 12/07/2009 : 21:58:50
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Thanks for sharing your experience homestrong! I'm very happy to see that Aldara worked with you.
Was it painful using Aldara? Reading from other's experiences in here, seems that Aldara can be quite painful.
Would appreciate your feedback on this.
Thanks. |
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homestrong
USA
24 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2009 : 23:37:52
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Aldara defn inflames the target cancer, and the surrounding skin.
It bleeds, it oozes clear puss, it itches, but I would not say
it is painful.
Given that, its well worth the side effects |
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thanks01
USA
84 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2009 : 11:08:45
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When I used Aldara, I went online and read a lot about it.
My understanding is that it contains two active ingredients. One stimulates your immune system in the cells at that spot - that's the part that inflames. The other is a cancer-killing ingredient. The idea seems to be that by stirring up the cell system in this area the potency of the cancer-killer is enhanced.
Each person reacts differently to the immune-system stimulant. Perhaps that is why the reports about Aldara often seem to vary so much. Just thinking ... |
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Aldara
