A Pilot Clinical Trial Comparing Topical Fluorouracil to Fluorouracil Plus Calcipotriene Field Treatments in Patients With Multiple Actinic Keratoses

May 8, 2026 updated by: M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
The goal of this clinical research study is to compare the effects of topical fluorouracil alone to topical fluorouracil plus topical calcipotriene in patients with multiple actinic keratoses. "Topical" means the medication is applied directly to the skin.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

Primary Objectives:

The primary objective of this pilot trial is feasibility, specifically measured by percent of patients approached and screened who enroll in the study. The prior trial on these medications reported a 75% enrollment rate (132 enrolled of 175 patients screened), though other trials of AK treatments have had lower enrollment rates (e.g., 53%9). To accurately plan a multi-site trial and apply for funding, an enrollment rate from the pilot trial will be critical. We will consider 50% enrollment rate a success, based on the lowest enrollment rates we found in the AK trial literature.

Secondary Objectives:

A. The proportion of participants who complete the treatment course, B. The change in AK count from baseline C. The proportion of participants who have clearance of >75% of AKs D. Differences in adverse event reporting, in particular redness, scaling, burning, pain, and itch, E. Comparison of counts of AK lesions by dermatologists in person to counts of AK lesions by dermatologists using standardized digital photography.

F. Change in MASCK metric G. Patient satisfaction (AK-EPQ) H. Change in health related QoL (AK-QoL) I. Patient adherence (ability to complete entire recommended course)

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

30

Phase

  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Locations

    • Texas
      • Houston, Texas, United States, 77030
        • Recruiting
        • The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
        • Contact:
        • Principal Investigator:
          • Mackenzie Wehner, MD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Ability to start treatment within 1 week of enrollment
  • Patients must be age ≥18, not of childbearing potential, and have the presence of 4-15 clinically, visibly confirmed and discrete AKs in an at least 25 cm2 contiguous area on the head, neck, arm, or hand.

Because no dosing or adverse event data are currently available on the use of fluorouracil in combination with calcipotriene in patients <18 years of age, children are excluded from this study.

  • Patients with a prior or concurrent malignancy whose natural history or treatment does not interfere with the safety or efficacy assessment of the investigational regimen are eligible for this trial.
  • The effects of topical fluorouracil and/or fluorouracil plus calcipotriene on the developing human fetus are unknown. From the topical fluorouracil package insert: "One birth defect (cleft lip and palate) has been reported in the newborn of a patient using EFUDEX as recommended. One birth defect (ventricular septal defect) and cases of miscarriage have been reported when EFUDEX was applied to mucous membrane areas. Multiple birth defects have been reported in a fetus of a patient treated with intravenous fluorouracil."11 For this reason, we are excluding women of child-bearing potential. This includes all female patients, between the onset of menses (as early as 8 years of age) and 55 years unless the patient presents with an applicable exclusionary factor which may be one of the following:

Postmenopausal (no menses in greater than or equal to 12 consecutive months). History of hysterectomy or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Ovarian failure (Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Estradiol in menopausal range, who have received Whole Pelvic Radiation Therapy).

History of bilateral tubal ligation or another surgical sterilization procedure.

• Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Known allergy to any component of the medications or vehicle.
  • A wound or suspected skin cancer within 5cm of the area to be treated
  • Immunosuppression, or use in the past month of medications that could impede skin assessment including but not limited to:

Other topical medications with active ingredients including: topical steroids, topical calcineurin inhibitors, topical retinoids, imiquimod, diclofenac, etc.

Artificial tanners Cytotoxic medications including: systemic fluorouracil, bleomycin, doxorubicin, cisplatin, etc.

Ultraviolet therapy Oral nicotinamide Oral retinoids including: isotretinoin, acitretin

  • History of hypercalcemia
  • Clinical evidence of vitamin D toxicity
  • The effects of topical fluorouracil and/or fluorouracil plus calcipotriene on the developing human fetus are unknown. From the topical fluorouracil package insert: "One birth defect (cleft lip and palate) has been reported in the newborn of a patient using EFUDEX as recommended. One birth defect (ventricular septal defect) and cases of miscarriage have been reported when EFUDEX was applied to mucous membrane areas. Multiple birth defects have been reported in a fetus of a patient treated with intravenous fluorouracil."11 For this reason, we are excluding women of child-bearing potential. This includes all female patients, between the onset of menses (as early as 8 years of age) and 55 years unless the patient presents with an applicable exclusionary factor which may be one of the following:

Postmenopausal (no menses in greater than or equal to 12 consecutive months). History of hysterectomy or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy. Ovarian failure (Follicle Stimulating Hormone and Estradiol in menopausal range, who have received Whole Pelvic Radiation Therapy).

History of bilateral tubal ligation or another surgical sterilization procedure.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Treatment with Fluorouracil and Calcipotriene
Participants will screened and enrolled during a standard-of-care clinical dermatology visit. Participants will be randomized in between treatment with topical 5-FU twice daily for 2-3 weeks
Participants in the fluorouracil/calcipotriene will apply fluorouracil/calcipotriene twice daily for 4 days to the affected area.
Experimental: Treatment with Fluorouracil
Participants will screened and enrolled during a standard-of-care clinical dermatology visit. Participants will be randomized in between treatment with topical 5-FU twice daily for 2-3 weeks
Participants in the fluorouracil arm will apply fluorouracil twice daily for 2-3 weeks (depending on body area).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Safety and Adverse Events (AEs)
Time Frame: Through study completion; an average of 1 year.
Incidence of Adverse Events, Graded According to National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (NCI CTCAE) Version (v) 5.0
Through study completion; an average of 1 year.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Mackenzie Wehner, MD, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

October 6, 2025

Primary Completion (Estimated)

August 31, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

August 31, 2027

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

February 24, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 24, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

February 28, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 8, 2026

Last Verified

April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 2024-2003
  • NCI-2025-01497 (Other Identifier: NCI-CTRP Clinical Trials Registry)

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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