The following is a summary of “Tirbanibulin 1% Ointment Effectiveness for Actinic Keratosis Treatment Evaluated by Dynamic Optical Coherence Tomography,” published in the April 2024 issue of Dermatology by Cantisani, et al.

Actinic keratosis (AK) is a prevalent premalignant skin condition, often requiring clinical or dermoscopic examination for diagnosis, with biopsy occasionally necessary. Dynamic optical coherence tomography (D-OCT) offers noninvasive skin morphology evaluation, potentially obviating the need for biopsy. Early and efficient AK treatment is crucial to prevent invasive squamous cell carcinoma (iSCC) progression. Tirbanibulin 1% ointment, a novel topical field therapy, has emerged for AK treatment. For a study, researchers sought to assess the efficacy and safety of tirbanibulin 1% ointment for nonhyperkeratotic, nonhypertrophic AKs (Olsen grade 1) on the face and/or scalp in adults, utilizing D-OCT technology.

About 50 patients with multiple mild to moderate AKs on the face and scalp were treated with tirbanibulin 1% ointment for five consecutive days over a 25 cm² area. The evaluation involved videodermoscopy and D-OCT. Lesions were staged per the Olsen classification, excluding aggressive lesions.

Among 50 patients (27 males, 23 females; mean age 76 ± 7.9 years), complete clearance was observed in 68% (n = 34), with partial clearance in 76% (n = 38) at 57 days posttreatment. D-OCT revealed improved morphology, notably clearer dermal-epidermal junctions (DEJ), and reduced inflammation. Adverse events, predominantly mild erythema and scaling, were mostly self-limiting.

Tirbanibulin demonstrated efficacy and tolerability for nonhyperkeratotic, non hypertrophic AKs. It exhibited a favorable safety profile, primarily with mild adverse events. D-OCT proved valuable for personalizing AK treatment and monitoring.

Reference: hindawi.com/journals/dth/2024/1018395/