Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog treated with topical imiquimod for two skin melanocytomas
By Coyner, Kimberly & Loeffler, Diana·Published in Veterinary dermatology·2012·Dermatology Clinic for Animals of Las Vegas, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Topical imiquimod in the treatment of two cutaneous melanocytomas in a dog.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 10-year-old mixed-breed dog was treated for two skin tumors called melanocytomas, which are common in dogs. Instead of surgery, the veterinarian used a topical cream called imiquimod, which is known to help with skin tumors. After treatment, the tumors showed positive changes, indicating that the cream was effective. This case suggests that imiquimod could be a good option for treating similar skin tumors in dogs when surgery isn't feasible.
People also search for: dog skin tumor treatment · imiquimod for dog melanocytoma · non-surgical treatment for dog skin cancer
Abstract
Imiquimod is a topical biological response modifier that has been shown to be useful in the treatment of several viral and nonviral skin tumours in humans and animals. Lentigo maligna (melanoma in situ) is common in older humans, and can be successfully treated with imiquimod. Melanocytomas are common skin tumours in dogs, and although surgical removal is the treatment of choice, tumour location and patient morbidity can make excision difficult in some cases. This case report describes the use of imiquimod to successfully treat two melanocytomas in one dog, including clinical results, histopathology and immunohistochemical staining, as well as a comparison with lentigo maligna treatment in humans. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of the use of imiquimod to treat canine melanocytomas, and the first description of post-treatment histopathology and immunohistochemistry after imiquimod use in companion animals.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21777307/