Fluorouracil (5-FU) is a chemotherapy compound which has been around for a long time. For topical (on the skin) use, it is sold as Efudex and Carac, and is used to kill cancerous or pre-cancerous skin lesions. Actinic Keratosis, or Solar Keratosis, is a condition in which there are generally many spots, some visible and some not, some of which will become skin cancer if untreated. So, fluorouracil is often prescribed as a method of killing many of the pre-cancerous spots before they become cancer and have to be removed by freezing or cutting.
The Efudex, or Carac, treatment is itself not very pleasant. The drug is prescribed when it is deemed to be preferable to addressing the individual Basal Cell or Squamous Cell cancers one at at time over a period of years.
I am building this site to share my journal of my Efudex treatment, as well as my very charming Efudex pictures. I also intend to gather in one place the best advice I can find on coping with Efudex or Carac treatments, both from a physical and an emotional standpoint.
If you are going through this treatment yourself and would like to post an online journal of your own, I would love to have you post your journal on this site. (Or, if you already have a journal posted elsewhere and you would give me permission to reproduce it here, please let me know.)
6 responses so far ↓
Mathew Russman // Dec 15th 2008 at 4:09 pm
Hi Fritz,
Thanks for documenting your experience - it’s helping prepare mentally for what’s ahead. I don’t think I have AKs quite as bad as you, but I’m curious to see what the cream does to me. Like you said, I know it’s doing a good thing.
Just a question about application - after applying the cream in the morning, do you ever wipe it off? I didn’t and my face was greasy all day. I’m tempted to wash my face but I’m not sure if I should be. Any ideas?
Thanks for any input
Mathew Russman
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Debra // Feb 24th 2009 at 1:17 pm
I have some red spots that are keritosis. They have been frozen several times on my face. My doctor suggested I use the cream. Should I use it on the entire face and my chest? Is there any scaring AFTER the procedure?
Michael // May 27th 2009 at 7:12 pm
I’ve used efudex several times over the past few years. I did half of my face at a time. The first time I had SO many angry red spots that I looked like I’d been hit with boiling oil. BUT the 16 or so spots that I’d had treated with freezing or cutting all had depigmented … and it seems that I’ll always have those white spots on my face.
After Efudex, I have no sign of the treatment … great! I feel that my 1st Dr.(private)
just wanted to keep seeing me forever, burning, freezing, and cutting. Efudex stopped that…except for a few bad spots (basal) that now HAVE to be addressed with the scalpel. Don’t do that unless you have to. I go back to the VA for a 3rd shot at my nose … and those needles HURT. They stop the pain of the operation, but, Damn! They hurt to go through! The 3rd Efudex tx I just did had at most 10 percent angry reaction from my face as did the 1st one. Much better.
No scaring from Efudex on me. BUT near the 2 week point of applying, it was (I feel) getting into my eyes as I slept. The whole next day I’d have swollen eyes, like I’d been punched or spider-bit. I would put a towel each night on my pillow so it wouldnt build up and smear around. At the worst point, I’d put a very loose bandage on the area treated.
Yes, face can be greasy in the day, but if you put Desonide cream on 20 min. after Efudex, it seems to help in that regard. But 2 wks of greasy face vs. 50 or so visits for painful freezing seems like a no brainer. Also, DO use Desonide to help the burning and pain … especially the 1st time you ever use E. Mine was so painful that I stopped 1 day early the 1st time … but using it was definitely the way to go!!
Mike
PS - My photos - especially of the 1st treatment with Efudex, are as bad as the one shown above in this site. And I wish I’d had Desonide to help…thanks to the VA for bringing it up when I went to them later on.
Maria // Oct 12th 2009 at 12:12 am
Beware …I have scarring from using Flurouracil 2x/day for two weeks. I did not have an infection that caused the scarring. I know two men that had a very successful outcome with no scarring…maybe it works better with the thicker skin that men have??? If I would have known that scarring was a possibility I would have chosen freezing instead.
johnleanza // Mar 28th 2010 at 4:37 pm
I have been using Flurouracil for 9 days but have not gotten a great reaction I heard that getting a little sun after appli\ying the cream gives a stronger reaction but in the end a better result anyone try this?
Dean // Jun 3rd 2010 at 2:24 am
John leaanza, the brochures I was given say to specifially avoid sun exposure during treatment.
Leave a Comment