Systematic review of vismodegib toxicity profile in the treatment of advanced basal cell carcinomas compared to other systemic therapies in dermatology.

Vismodegib is a first-in-class, hedgehog-signal inhibitor that is FDA-approved for use with advanced basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) that cannot be removed by either surgical resection or treated with radiation. Release of the drug was fast-tracked because of need for this type of drug, and its overall efficacy in clinical trial by producing either regression or even resolution of advanced BCCs. Compared to placebo, patients using vismodegib have arrested BCC progression, reduced size of BCC, and decreased recurrence of BCC. Unfortunately, vismodegib has notable adverse effects (especially those of alopecia, gastrointestinal, muscle spasms, and dysguesia) that make dermatologists reluctant to prescribe the drug and patients unwilling to undergo therapy. In this article, we tackle this dilemma by comparing the toxicity profile of vismodegib to the adverse effect profiles of other dermatologic chemotherapeutics, immunomodulators, retinoids, and biologics. Considering that many of these drugs carry their own risks and those drugs used to treat advanced melanoma have similar toxicity profiles to that of vismodegib, we hope dermatologists and patients alike will be more willing to try vismodegib as a treatment option for advanced BCCs in the future.