Current Understanding of Seborrheic Keratosis: Prevalence, Etiology, Clinical Presentation, Diagnosis, and Management.

Seborrheic keratosis (SK) is among the most common cutaneous lesions, affecting some 83 million Americans. Biologically benign, SK lesions do not require removal for medical reasons unless histologic confirmation of the clinical diagnosis is required or the lesions are traumatized and/or become symptomatic. These macular or popular pigmented lesions are often of cosmetic concern to patients. In addition, their natural history of gradually increasing in size, thickness, and/or pigmentation often serves as the impetus compelling patients to present to a dermatologist for evaluation and skin cancer screening; SK is diagnosed and managed primarily by dermatologists. Data regarding SK prevalence and management from a survey of 594 practicing, board-certified dermatologists are summarized herein: Dermatologists report they diagnose an average of 155 patients per month with SK. Among SK patients presenting to dermatologists, 33% have more than 15 SK lesions and 67% have 15 or fewer SK lesions. On average, dermatologists treat 43% of their SK patients to remove lesions. Cryosurgery is the most common removal method. Other commonly employed removal methods include shave excision, electrodessication, curettage or a combination of these. While these procedures can be used to remove SK lesions effectively, each has potential drawbacks and careful patient selection is required to optimize cosmetic results particularly in skin of color patients and patients with thick or numerous lesions. While there is great interest from both patients and providers in a topical non-invasive treatment for SK, no effective topical therapeutic agent has been developed, and this remains an area of unmet need.

Assessment of adapalene gel for the treatment of actinic keratoses and lentigines: a randomized trial.

BACKGROUND: Adapalene is a synthetic retinoid with an established clinical efficacy against acne and good local tolerability. Its effectiveness in the treatment of photodamaged skin has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine the safety and efficacy of adapalene gel in the treatment of actinic keratoses and solar lentigines. METHODS: In a prospective, 2-center, randomized, controlled, investigator-masked, parallel-group study, 90 patients with actinic keratoses and solar lentigines were treated daily with either adapalene gel (0.1% or 0.3%) or its vehicle gel for 4 weeks, followed by twice-daily applications, if tolerated, for up to 9 months. RESULTS: Of the 90 Caucasian patients (69 male, 21 female; mean age 63.1 years) who were enrolled into the study, 83 patients completed 9 months of treatment. With adapalene gel 0.1% and 0.3%, the mean number of actinic keratoses was reduced by 0.5 +/- 0.9 (mean +/- SE) and 2.5 +/- 0.9, respectively. Whereas, with the vehicle gel, there was an increase of 1.5 +/- 1.3 (P <.05). After 1 month of treatment, the patients who received adapalene had significant lightening of solar lentigines as compared with the patients who were treated with vehicle gel (P <.05). After 9 months, 57% and 59% of the patients had lighter lesions in the adapalene 0.1% and 0.3% groups, respectively, in comparison with only 36% in the vehicle group (P <.05). Histologic evaluations revealed improved cellular atypia and reduced epidermal melanin in adapalene-, as compared with vehicle-treated group. The differences, however, were not statistically significant. A retrospective evaluation of paired clinical photographs (before and after 9-month treatment) by 2 dermatologists who were treatment-blinded revealed significant improvement in wrinkles and other clinical features of photoaged skin with adapalene as compared with its vehicle. CONCLUSION: Adapalene gel 0.1% and 0.3% were well tolerated and improved actinic keratoses, solar lentigines, and other features of photodamaged skin.