Xeroderma Pigmentosum: Part Two: Treatment of Skin Tumors with Topical Podophyllin 25% in Benzoin

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare autosomal recessive disease; relatively mild XP patients are sometimes designated as having pigmented xerodermoid or xerodermoid pigmentosum (XP-V), a variant of XP. It is commonly associated with many long-standing skin conditions and tumors, including malignancies, management of which is necessary to prevent the progress of the disease. The objective of the study was to evaluate an innovative therapeutic treatment, beyond surgery, surgical excision, cryotherapy, electrocautery and curettage, or Mohs surgery, for the management of skin tumors in XP.This was a prospective therapeutic interventional study comprising 50 patients with XP-V. Age of subjects ranged from 2 to 50 years, with a mean age of 18 years. Several measures were evaluated in part one of this study, and a number of others (as reviewed in part one) were successful in prophylaxis of skin tumors in XP as well as in treating earlier stigmata of XP; however, these measures were notably less successful in treating well-developed skin tumors in XP patients, and 18 of the 50 patients evaluated in part one had well-developed tumors (total 22 lesions) refractory to treatments. Podophyllin 25% in 100-mL tincture of benzoin was applied topically to lesions until complete resolution was documented in 18 patients with XP complications, such as keratoacanthoma (KA), basal cell carcinoma, or squamous cell carcinoma. Topical podophyllin 25% in benzoin was a less destructive alternative treatment for skin cancer and KA in XP patients.