Topical tazarotene chemoprevention reduces Basal cell carcinoma number and size in Ptch1+/- mice exposed to ultraviolet or ionizing radiation.

Oral retinoids can reduce basal cell carcinoma (BCC) incidence in genetically susceptible patients, and one topical retinoid, tazarotene, has been reported to cure some sporadic BCCs. Therefore, we have tested whether this agent would affect BCCs in Ptch1+/- mice in a controlled chemoprevention trial. We found that topical tazarotene dramatically inhibits the formation of BCCs induced with either UV or ionizing radiation. The ability of tazarotene to inhibit BCC formation in this mouse model provides encouragement for the use of tazarotene in skin cancer chemoprevention trials in humans.