BACKGROUND: Verrucous carcinoma is an uncommon neoplasm whose medical treatment is not well defined. OBJECTIVE: We report the clinical effects of recombinant alpha-interferon (IFN) with varying dispensing routes on the tumor size in 3 patients exhibiting three different subtypes of verrucous carcinoma. OBSERVATIONS: In case 1, an oral florid papillomatosis of the upper gingiva, a stabilization of the lesion size was observed after the administration of a cumulative dose of 45 million IU of IFN alfa-2b. The patient died after discontinuation of the treatment due to hepatic toxicity. In case 2, a giant condyloma acuminatum of the penis, treatment with a cumulative dose of 522 million IU of IFN alfa-2a first resulted in stabilization of the disease, and no evidence of recurrence was observed after surgical treatment. In case 3, a verrucous carcinoma of the leg, a mild decrease in lesion size was observed after the administration of a cumulative dose of 174 million IU. Surgery was finally required. CONCLUSION: In reducing the growth of the tumor, treatment by IFN appears to be an adjuvant therapy of verrucous carcinoma, but it never prevents surgery or death.
BACKGROUND:Verrucous carcinoma is an uncommon neoplasm whose medical treatment is not well defined. OBJECTIVE: We report the clinical effects of recombinant alpha-interferon (IFN) with varying dispensing routes on the tumor size in 3 patients exhibiting three different subtypes of verrucous carcinoma. OBSERVATIONS: In case 1, an oral florid papillomatosis of the upper gingiva, a stabilization of the lesion size was observed after the administration of a cumulative dose of 45 million IU of IFN alfa-2b. The patient died after discontinuation of the treatment due to hepatic toxicity. In case 2, a giant condyloma acuminatum of the penis, treatment with a cumulative dose of 522 million IU of IFN alfa-2a first resulted in stabilization of the disease, and no evidence of recurrence was observed after surgical treatment. In case 3, a verrucous carcinoma of the leg, a mild decrease in lesion size was observed after the administration of a cumulative dose of 174 million IU. Surgery was finally required. CONCLUSION: In reducing the growth of the tumor, treatment by IFN appears to be an adjuvant therapy of verrucous carcinoma, but it never prevents surgery or death.