Treatment of neoplastic skin lesions with intralesional interferon

Nineteen patients with skin neoplasms were treated with intralesional recombinant interferon-alpha 2. There were 11 basal cell carcinomas, 3 squamous cell carcinomas, 4 solar keratoses, and 1 keratoacanthoma. Biopsy specimens were taken before and 2 months after treatment in most cases. Lesions were injected three times weekly for 3 weeks (nine total injections) with 0.9 X 10(6) IU (0.3 ml) of interferon-alpha 2 (total dose 8.1 X 10(6) IU). Clinical and histologic examination revealed three squamous cell carcinomas that had cleared. No basal cell carcinomas had resolved but the keratoses were clinically clear and histologically less active. One keratoacanthoma resolved.