Vismodegib for treatment of periocular basal cell carcinoma – 6-year experience from a tertiary cancer center()()

BACKGROUND: The treatment of advanced periocular basal cell carcinomas becomes a challenge as surgery may involve highly mutilating procedures. Vismodegib is the first selective hedgehog inhibitor approved for the treatment of locally advanced tumors or metastatic disease. OBJECTIVE: Analyze the results of treatment with vismodegib for advanced periocular basal cell carcinomas in a real-life setting of a reference center between 2014 and 2020. METHODS: Retrospective longitudinal study. The patient's demographic profile, comorbidities, tumor characteristics, and treatment outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 13 patients were included. Median follow-up and treatment duration were 15.9 and 10.5 months, respectively. Objective clinical response rate was 76.9%: 30.8% had a complete response and 46.2% a partial response. The median duration of response was 13 months. Progressive disease was observed in 38.5% of cases, with a median of 19 months after the beginning of treatment. Eighty-four percent of the patients had at least one adverse event, and 61.54% needed to interrupt treatment temporarily or permanently to increase tolerability. STUDY LIMITATIONS: Being a retrospective study in a real-life setting, the evaluation of objective clinical response was subjective to physician appreciation. CONCLUSION: Vismodegib is a safe and effective treatment for locally advanced basal cell carcinoma. To prevent recurrences, the drug should be used continually when tolerated. The role of neoadjuvant vismodegib before surgery is being investigated and might add an important step in searching for a definitive treatment for these cases.