Treatment of palmoplantar keratoderma with continuous infusion 5-fluorouracil

A 49-year-old man electively chose to undergo a trial of intravenous chemotherapy with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) for his inherited punctate palmoplantar keratoderma (PPK). His father also had this skin disorder, which coincidentally cleared after 2 courses of chemotherapy consisting of 5-FU and cisplatin to treat his lung cancer, prompting the patient to undergo this trial of therapy. After the patient's first course of a 5-day continuous infusion (CI) of 5-FU (1000 mg/m² per day), the lesions on his hands and feet regressed by approximately 80%. However, after completion of each course, the lesions seemed to reappear to some degree. The patient desired to pursue further therapy; therefore, CI 5-FU at a dose of 250 mg/m² per day (500 mg/d) was instituted, while pyridoxine was avoided in the hope of causing a hand-foot syndrome that may provide some long-term benefit. After receiving a 12-week course of therapy of CI 5-FU at 250 mg/m² per day, his lesions were approximately 95% improved, with only a few minute punctate keratoses remaining. At follow-up nearly 4 years later, the lesions remain 90% cleared.