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Acitretin is a vitamin A tablet licensed for severe psoriasis. In people who have had an organ transplant and keep developing skin cancers, it reduces the number of new squamous cell carcinomas while it is taken.
Acitretin is a second-generation oral retinoid, the active metabolite of etretinate, taken once daily. The FDA approved it in 1996 for severe psoriasis. In oncology it is used off-label as chemoprevention for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in organ-transplant recipients and other patients with many keratinocyte cancers: a randomised trial in renal-transplant recipients in 1995 showed fewer new squamous cell carcinomas during treatment, and the effect is lost when the drug is stopped.
It causes dry skin and lips, raised lipids and liver enzyme changes, and is teratogenic for years after the last dose, so its use is restricted to men and to women who will not become pregnant. Nicotinamide is the other, better tolerated, chemopreventive option named alongside it.
A vitamin A derivative that binds retinoic acid and retinoid X receptors in keratinocytes, normalising their growth and differentiation and slowing the progression of pre-cancerous sun-damaged skin. Connects to Retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARA) and Retinoid X receptor (RXR).
1.Acitretin acts on Retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARA), the hormone receptor or the enzyme that makes the hormone.
| Region | Year | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| US | 1996 | Severe psoriasis (oncology use as chemoprevention of squamous cell carcinoma is off-label) |
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Query for this drug: (TITLE:"Acitretin" OR ABSTRACT:"Acitretin" OR TITLE:"Soriatane" OR ABSTRACT:"Soriatane" OR TITLE:"Neotigason" OR ABSTRACT:"Neotigason") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Acitretin, not a curated reading list.
Shares Retinoid X receptor (RXR), Retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARA) and the tag subtype-drugs-wave.
Shares Skin cancer (all types) and the tag subtype-drugs-wave.
Shares Skin cancer after an organ transplant, Chemoprevention & risk-reducing surgery, Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, Skin cancer (all types).
Shares Skin cancer after an organ transplant, Chemoprevention & risk-reducing surgery, Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, Skin cancer (all types).
Shares Skin cancer after an organ transplant, Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, Skin cancer (all types).
Shares Skin cancer after an organ transplant, Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, Skin cancer (all types).
Shares Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, Skin cancer (all types).
Shares Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, Skin cancer (all types).