Articles
18 February 2025
Early Access
https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2025.10196

Real-world experience with vismodegib and sonidegib in advanced basal cell carcinoma: a multicenter Italian study

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Hedgehog inhibitors, locally advanced BCC, non-melanoma skin cancer, smoothened inhibitors, sonidegib, vismodegib
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Mario Valenti
mario.valenti@hunimed.eu
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9140-9263
Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy.
Sara Di Giulio
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-3780-5318
Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan, Italy.
Andrea Carugno
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8231-2205
Dermatology Unit, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy.
Pasquale Frascione
Oncologic and Preventive Dermatology Unit, IFO-San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Angelo Valerio Marzano
Dermatology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano, Italy.
Santo Raffaele Mercuri
Dermatology and Cosmetology Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy.
Gianluca Nazzaro
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8534-6497
Dermatology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy.
Giulia Spallone
Oncologic and Preventive Dermatology Unit, IFO-San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
Giovanni Paolino
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3032-2217
Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, Università degli Studi di Milano; Unit of Clinic Dermatology, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy.
Marco Ardigò
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5772-4937
Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan, Italy, Italy.

Vismodegib and sonidegib are smoothened (SMO) inhibitors approved for the treatment of advanced basal cell carcinoma (aBCC). This study investigates the real-world experiences and outcomes associated with these therapies across multiple Italian centers. A retrospective, observational, multicenter study was conducted. Medical records of patients with local advanced basal cell carcinoma (laBCC) treated with SMO inhibitors outside of clinical trials from July 2019 to April 2024 were analyzed. A total of 57 patients were included in the study, with 19 (33.3%) receiving vismodegib and 38 (66.7%) receiving sonidegib. Vismodegib demonstrated a complete response (CR) in 31.6% of cases and a partial response (PR) in 26.3%. Sonidegib achieved a CR of 47.4% and a PR of 36.8%. The median treatment duration was 8 months for vismodegib and 12 months for sonidegib. Adverse events were more frequently reported with vismodegib. Treatment interruption due to adverse events occurred in 47.4% of vismodegib recipients and in 13.2% of those receiving sonidegib. The progression of the disease under treatment occurred in 7.9% of cases of patients under sonidegib and in 26.3% of cases under vismodegib.

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*Appendix Authors list

Valentina Benzecry Mancin,1 Veronica Benzi,2 Matteo Bianco,2,3 Alessandra Bulotta,4 Antonio Costanzo,2,3 Giuseppe Damiano,5 Nerina Denaro,6 Laura Eibenschutz,7 Barbara Merelli,8 Giulia Murgia,1 Alessandra Narcisi,3 Emanuela Passoni,1 Francesco Piscazzi,2,3 Vincenzo Russo5

1Dermatology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan; 2Department of Biomedical Sciences, Humanitas University, Pieve Emanuele, Milan; 3Dermatology Unit, IRCCS Humanitas Research Hospital, Rozzano, Milan; 4Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele, Milan; 5Unit of Immuno-Biotherapy of Melanoma and Solid Tumors, IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan; 6Oncology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan; 7Oncologic and Preventive Dermatology Unit, IFO-San Gallicano Dermatological Institute IRCCS, Rome; 8Oncology Unit, ASST Papa Giovanni XXIII, Bergamo, Italy

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Real-world experience with vismodegib and sonidegib in advanced basal cell carcinoma: a multicenter Italian study. (2025). Dermatology Reports. https://doi.org/10.4081/dr.2025.10196
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