Iontophoresis treatment of basal cell carcinoma with cisplatin: a case report

Iontophoresis is a process that uses electrical current to increase the flux of ionized substances through tissue. Iontophoresis has been used in rehabilitation to decrease inflammation and pain using dexamethasone and lidocaine. In 1993, Chang et al. reported visual improvements in the lesions of nine patients diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma (BCC) following iontophoresis of cisplatin. The present case report describes the successful treatment of a 67-year-old male with a histologically confirmed BCC on his upper anterolateral left leg. The treatment consisted of four cycles of five successive days of cisplatin iontophoresis, with a 2-week rest period between cycles. The cisplatin solution (5 mL at 1 mg/mL) was used in combination with epinephrine hydrochloride. The effectiveness of the treatment was confirmed by post-treatment biopsies, which revealed granulation tissue scarring without evidence of BCC. Measurements of cellular proliferation were monitored immunohistochemically with Ki-67 and cell cycle distribution analyzed by flow cytometry.