The Importance of Medication Adherence in the Treatment of Actinic Keratosis: An Expert Consensus Panel

Background: Actinic keratosis (AK) is one of the most common dermatologic diagnoses. While there are several treatment options, many topical therapies have poor adherence due to duration of treatment and local skin reactions (LSRs). Objective: To review the available literature on the most commonly used patient-administered field-directed therapies for AK and create consensus statements on the role of medication adherence in improving AK outcomes. Methods: A literature search of PubMed was completed for English-language original research articles reporting efficacy, safety, and tolerability data for 5-FU, diclofenac gel, imiquimod cream, and tirbanibulin. Once the articles were selected, they were distributed to a panel consisting of seven dermatologists with extensive expertise in managing AKs. Each panelist reviewed the articles and assigned them a level of evidence based on Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy (SORT) criteria. The panelists then met to review and discuss the studies and created consensus statements on the management of AKs and the importance of medication compliance. A modified Delphi process was used to approve the adoption of each statement. Results: The literature search produced 1,326 articles that met search criteria. After screening these articles for relevance and applying the inclusion criteria, 17 articles were chosen to be reviewed by the panel and assigned a level of evidence based on SORT criteria. The panel then created six consensus statements that received a unanimous vote for adoption. Conclusion: While there are several options for the treatment of AK, there is little consensus on a standard of care. Clearance rates for the most common topical field therapies vary significantly but are also difficult to directly compare due to differences in methodology for measuring and assessing outcomes. Overall, it is clear that an efficacious, tolerable, and convenient treatment for AKs is critical to optimal adherence and management and, given the results of recent studies, tirbanibulin may be the best topical option for meeting these criteria.