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. 2023 Dec 28;16(1):158. doi: 10.3390/cancers16010158

Table 2.

Intralesional methotrexate for treatment of invasive squamous cell carcinoma (modified from Searle et al.) [8].

Author, Year n Location MTX Administration Outcome Adverse Events Related to ilMTX
Plascencia-Gómez et al., 2014 [44] 1 Lower lip 3 injections of MTX, 1 week apart before surgery; cumulative dose: 75 mg of MTX 80% tumor size reduction None reported
Moye et al., 2014 [45] 1 Multiple SCCs (face, thigh, back, and calf)
Patient with melanoma receiving vemurafenib
4 injections of MTX, 3–4 weeks apart; approximately 1.9–12.5 mg of MTX per injection All tumors decreased in size Tolerable pain with injection
Salido-Vallejo et al., 2016 [39] 43 Cheek (12) > scalp (8) > temple (6) > lower lip (5), arm (5) > nose (3), ear (3) > leg (1) 1 injection of 25 mg/mL MTX before surgery; mean: 0.74 mL (0.1–1.3 mL) Reduction in tumor size (mean: 42.6%) compared to surgery alone; greater reduction in lower lip tumors Discomfort during MTX infiltration (60.47%)
Bergón-Sendín et al., 2018 [40] 10 Lower lip 2 injections of 20 mg MTX, 1 week apart before scheduled surgery; cumulative dose: of MTX 40 mg 100% response
Mean decrease in diameter: 68.2%
None reported
Bergón-Sendín et al., 2019 [43] 40 Face (50%) > extremities (22.5%) > scalp (17.5%) > trunk (2.5%) 2 injections of 50 mg/mL MTX, 1 week apart before surgery; mean cumulative dose: 37.6 mg Clinical and sonographic response in 92.5% None reported
Bergón-Sendín et al., 2020 [41] 84 Not reported 2 injections of MTX before scheduled surgery, 1 week apart; mean cumulative dose: 36.9 mg of MTX 100% tumor size reduction; 46/84 complete clinical and histopathological response None reported
Gualdi et al., 2020 [38] 21 Not reported 4–6 injections (different protocols, not separated by type of tumor); mean cumulative dose: 133.29 mg of MTX 47.6% resolution Yes; anemia the most frequent (5/35)
Bergón-Sendín et al., 2021 [42] 100 Face (50) > scalp (18) > limbs (16) > lip/ear (14) > trunk (2) 2 injections of MTX, 1 week apart before scheduled surgery; mean cumulative dose: 37.72 mg of MTX 93% tumor size reduction; less complex reconstructions than surgery-only group None reported
Vega-González et al., 2022 [46] 1 Lower lip 3 injections of MTX monthly; cumulative dose: 75 mg of MTX 100% resolution None reported

SCC stands for squamous cell carcinoma, KA stands for keratoacanthoma and MTX stands for methotrexate.