Using Efudix Cream

Hi I’m on the same I have to rub a thin layer in twice daily 

Well I’ve been using it for 2 years on off but it’s different for me because I’m rubbing it twice daily  into my lip - which is much thinner and more vascular than the shin so it usually responds quite quickly by day 2. My husband used it on his nose last year but once a day - and his nose only started responding after about a week and went dark red and crusty after 2-3 weeks - I think he managed 4 weeks once a day.

The less rapidly it responds, I’m told, the less effective or the less it’s likely to be pre-malignancy. Did the dermatologist biopsy it first to confirm her diagnosis? Rubbing it in is perfect so should be working by now if it’s actinic keratosis or squamous cc I’d have thought. 

Thanks both for your replies. I guess he'll have to just carry on applying it until he sees the dermatologist again in a couple of weeks time.

A biopsy wasn't carried out as the consultant says it's a precancerous condition called Bowen's disease. I'm assuming that if the Efudix doesn't get rid of it then they'll remove it by surgery.

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Hi. I’m under a very eminent skin cancer specialist who explained that Bowen’s/ actinic keratosis cant be surgically removed  because it only exists at cellular level still. So he could have one area removed but, due to spreading via the tiny vessels, more would very likely spring up. This is why it’s usually treated with chemotherapy creams. 

if it hasn’t responded then this may be a good sign that it’s not bad. My dermatology professor says a rapid florid response is an indication of disease severity. My husband has loads of areas but the GP just shrugged and said it mostly takes years to grow into Squamous Cell Carcinoma so he wasn’t even referred to dermatology. When it gets bad I just let him use my cream and it responds pretty well. It is very common and the main thing is to use a high protection sun screen, clothes that cover well and a sun hat. 

That's all very interesting. I'll pass it on to my husband.

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I was treated about three years into having a red lesion on my arm with Efudix by my GP who was the specialist dermatology GP.  Turned out she knew nothing about skin lesions.  I left the cream for several weeks as my lesion was by then reacting badly to sunlight and weeping, not that my GP thought this was odd.  I had to put a thin layer on for several weeks, leave it a number of weeks and then return.  The cream did nothing in this period of time to my skin/lesion.  For the first time my GP looked surprised and said she was sending me to a dermatologist.  I thought she meant consultant, but she meant another GP operating a clinic for minor dermatology complaints.  What I have learnt since is that Efudix cream will not work on anything serious like malignant melanoma. 

This absence of any reaction rather contradicts what ActinicChelitis says above which is that if it doesn't respond this may be a good sign that it's not bad.  Mine was of course as bad as it can get. 

Thanks for your reply Tiptoes

In the last week it has started to react so we'll see what the dermatologist says when he sees her next week.

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