Intralesional 5-fluorouracil as a treatment modality of keloids.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and side effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as a therapeutic agent in the treatment of keloids of any duration or size.

METHODS: This is a prospective, randomized, uncontrolled trial. Twenty-eight consecutive patients with keloids of varying size and duration were included in the study. All the patients were given intralesional 5-FU at weekly intervals for 12 weeks, and follow-up was done at 24 weeks. Improvement was assessed on a scale of five points, and the side-effects experienced were noted at each visit.

RESULTS: The improvement was more than 50% in the majority of the patients, with no patient showing failure to therapy. The side effects commonly encountered were pain at the injection site, ulceration, and burning sensation. There was no recurrence of symptoms or the lesion during the follow-up period of 24 weeks in any of the patients.

CONCLUSION: The efficacy of 5-FU is comparable to other singly used modalities as a treatment option for keloids. The lack of any serious side effects and the evidence of recurrence at 24 weeks of follow-up make this a promising modality.