Chemotherapy cream for non melanoma skin cancer

What is chemotherapy cream?

The chemotherapy drug fluorouracil (5FU) comes in a cream called Efudix. You spread the cream on your skin. This is called topical chemotherapy. It treats the cancer cells where you spread it. The rest of your body absorbs very little of the drug.

When do you use chemotherapy cream?

Doctors only use chemotherapy cream for cancers affecting the top layer of skin (superficial skin cancers). So you might have it to treat:

• some low risk, thin basal cell carcinomas (BCCs)

• Bowen's disease (squamous cell carcinoma in situ)

• actinic keratosis, which might develop into a squamous cell carcinoma

A low risk BCC means that the BCC is less likely to come back after treatment.

If you have actinic keratosis on your face or scalp you might have a cream called tirbanibulin.

Find out more about these types of non melanoma skin cancer

How do you use chemotherapy cream?

You put the chemotherapy cream on your skin cancer yourself. Hospital staff will show you how to do this so you can do it at home.

Usually, you apply the cream once or twice a day for 3 to 4 weeks. Depending on where the skin cancer is, you might have waterproof dressings to put over the cream to keep it in place. 

Side effects

The cream can make the skin red, sore and inflamed. Some people's skin reacts more than others. To relieve discomfort, your doctor or specialist nurse can give you another cream containing steroids, if needed. 

Your skin should heal completely after one to two months. Contact your advice line if you’re worried about the side effects you are experiencing.