{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T06:07:16Z","timestamp":1789106836757,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1789084800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Vet. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:p>Cutaneous melanocytic neoplasms in dogs generally present as benign lesions, unlike their oral or digital counterparts, but treatment can be challenging when complete surgical excision is restricted by anatomical location. A 5-year-old neutered male Shiba Inu was evaluated for a firm, well-circumscribed, black-pigmented nodule measuring 4\u202f\u00d7\u202f3.8\u202fcm on the left facial region, with surrounding pigmented papules. Histopathological examination of punch biopsy specimens confirmed cutaneous melanocytoma with superficial subcutaneous involvement observed in two samples. Complete surgical excision was not feasible due to the broad facial distribution of the nodule and surrounding papules. Consequently, topical immunotherapy with 5% imiquimod cream (Aldara\u00ae; 3\u202fM Pharmaceuticals, St Paul, MN, USA) was initiated as a palliative treatment. After 5\u202fmonths of treatment, the nodule decreased in size to 3.3\u202f\u00d7\u202f3.0\u202fcm, became subjectively softer on palpation, and the number of surrounding papules decreased, with no observed adverse effects. Following discontinuation of treatment during a planned washout period before follow-up biopsy, the nodule increased in size, and histopathological findings remained consistent with the initial diagnosis. This case suggests that topical imiquimod may provide temporary clinical improvement and may be considered as a palliative or maintenance option for canine cutaneous melanocytoma when complete surgical excision is challenging.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2026.1917945","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T05:29:07Z","timestamp":1789104547000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Case Report: Topical imiquimod (Aldara\u00ae) as a palliative option for extensive canine facial cutaneous melanocytoma"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"13","author":[{"given":"Hayoung","family":"Ryu","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University","place":["Jinju, Republic of Korea"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Minjeong","family":"Kang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University","place":["Jinju, Republic of Korea"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kyu-Woan","family":"Cho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University","place":["Jinju, Republic of Korea"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dong-In","family":"Jung","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University","place":["Jinju, Republic of Korea"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hyeona","family":"Bae","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"College of Veterinary Medicine, Gyeongsang National University","place":["Jinju, Republic of Korea"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci3010007","article-title":"Comparative aspects of canine melanoma","volume":"3","author":"Nishiya","year":"2016","journal-title":"Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"54","DOI":"10.1177\/0300985810390717","article-title":"Prognostic markers for canine melanocytic neoplasms: a comparative review of the literature and goals for future investigation","volume":"48","author":"Smedley","year":"2011","journal-title":"Vet Pathol"},{"key":"ref3","first-page":"391","volume-title":"Withrow & Macewen's Small Animal Clinical Oncology","author":"Greene","year":"2020"},{"key":"ref4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"501","DOI":"10.3390\/genes10070501","article-title":"Canine melanomas as models for human melanomas: clinical, histological, and genetic comparison","volume":"10","author":"Prouteau","year":"2019","journal-title":"Genes"},{"key":"ref5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1359426","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2024.1359426","article-title":"Melanoma of the dog and cat: consensus and guidelines","volume":"11","author":"Polton","year":"2024","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"868989","DOI":"10.3389\/fvets.2022.868989","article-title":"Veterinary guidelines for electrochemotherapy of superficial tumors","volume":"9","author":"Tellado","year":"2022","journal-title":"Front Vet Sci"},{"key":"ref7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2187","DOI":"10.1007\/s13555-023-00993-1","article-title":"Topical treatment of melanoma in situ, lentigo maligna, and lentigo maligna melanoma with imiquimod cream: a systematic review of the literature","volume":"13","author":"Vaienti","year":"2023","journal-title":"Dermatol Ther (Heidelb)"},{"key":"ref8","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1546","DOI":"10.3390\/cancers15051546","article-title":"Long-term follow-up of lentigo maligna patients treated with imiquimod 5% cream","volume":"15","author":"Seyed Jafari","year":"2023","journal-title":"Cancer"},{"key":"ref9","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"994","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2133.2009.09032.x","article-title":"Imiquimod and lentigo maligna: a search for prognostic features in a clinicopathological study with long-term follow-up","volume":"160","author":"Powell","year":"2009","journal-title":"Br J Dermatol"},{"key":"ref10","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"10835","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms241310835","article-title":"Imiquimod as local immunotherapy in the management of premalignant cutaneous conditions and skin cancer","volume":"24","author":"Garcia-Mouronte","year":"2023","journal-title":"Int J Mol Sci"},{"key":"ref11","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"55","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1476-5829.2007.00144.x","article-title":"Use of imiquimod 5% cream (Aldara) in cats with multicentric squamous cell carcinoma in situ: 12 cases (2002\u20132005)","volume":"6","author":"Gill","year":"2008","journal-title":"Vet Comp Oncol"},{"key":"ref12","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"503","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-3164.2009.00877.x","article-title":"The efficacy of imiquimod 5% cream (Aldara\u00ae) in the treatment of aural plaque in horses: a pilot open-label clinical trial","volume":"21","author":"Torres","year":"2010","journal-title":"Vet Dermatol"},{"key":"ref13","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"471","DOI":"10.1111\/vde.12900","article-title":"Topical treatment of equine sarcoids with imiquimod 5% cream or Sanguinaria canadensis and zinc chloride\u2014an open prospective study","volume":"31","author":"Pettersson","year":"2020","journal-title":"Vet Dermatol"},{"key":"ref14","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"593","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jfms.2008.02.002","article-title":"Apparent clinical resolution of pinnal actinic keratoses and squamous cell carcinoma in a cat using topical imiquimod 5% cream","volume":"10","author":"Peters-Kennedy","year":"2008","journal-title":"J Feline Med Surg"},{"key":"ref15","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"145\u2013149:e131","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-3164.2011.01000.x","article-title":"Topical imiquimod in the treatment of two cutaneous melanocytomas in a dog","volume":"23","author":"Coyner","year":"2012","journal-title":"Vet Dermatol"},{"key":"ref16","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"831","DOI":"10.1111\/ijd.13235","article-title":"Imiquimod in dermatology: an overview","volume":"55","author":"Hanna","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int J Dermatol"},{"key":"ref17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1657","DOI":"10.2165\/00003495-200666130-00001","article-title":"The role of topical immune response modifiers in skin cancer","volume":"66","author":"Woodmansee","year":"2006","journal-title":"Drugs"},{"key":"ref18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"739","DOI":"10.1111\/vco.12827","article-title":"Diagnosis and histopathologic prognostication of canine melanocytic neoplasms: a consensus of the oncology\u2013pathology working group","volume":"20","author":"Smedley","year":"2022","journal-title":"Vet Comp Oncol"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Veterinary Science"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2026.1917945\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]],"date-time":"2026-09-11T05:29:11Z","timestamp":1789104551000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fvets.2026.1917945\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]]},"references-count":18,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fvets.2026.1917945"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fvets.2026.1917945","relation":{},"ISSN":["2297-1769"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2297-1769","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,11]]},"article-number":"1917945"}}