Methods for diagnosing skin lesions

Abstract

Methods for diagnosing skin lesions are disclosed. Generally, the method include topically administering an IRM compound to a treatment area for a period of time and in an amount effective to cause a visible change in the appearance of a skin lesion including, in some cases, causing subclinical lesions to become visible. Suitable IRM compounds include agonists of one or more TLRs.

1 . A method of diagnosing a skin lesion comprising administering to a treatment area of the skin an IRM compound for a period of time and in an amount sufficient to permit visualization of a skin lesion in the treatment area. 
   
   
       2 - 4 . (canceled) 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the skin lesion is a neoplastic skin lesion. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the skin lesion is a subclinical lesion. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the skin lesion is a nonmelanoma skin cancer. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the skin lesion is a premalignant skin lesion. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the skin lesion is selected from the group consisting of a basal cell carcinoma, a squamous cell carcinoma, lentigo maligna, Bowen's disease, and actinic keratoses. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is an agonist of at least one TLR. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is an agonist of TLR7, TLR8, or both TLR7 and TLR8. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is administered via a topical application vehicle. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is an imidazoquinoline amine, a tetrahydroimidazoquinoline amine, an imidazopyridine amine, a 1,2-bridged imidazoquinoline amine, a 6,7-fused cycloalkylimidazopyridine amine, an imidazonaphthyridine amine, a tetrahydroimidazonaphthyridine amine, an oxazoloquinoline amine, a thiazoloquinoline amine, an oxazolopyridine amine, a thiazolopyridine amine, an oxazolonaphthyridine amine, or a thiazolonaphthyridine amine. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is administered at least one time. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is administered two times per week. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is administered three times a week. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is administered for one week. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is administered for four weeks. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the IRM compound is administered for eight weeks. 
   
   
       20 . A method of visualizing the margins of a skin lesion comprising:
 administering to a treatment area an IRM compound for a period of time and in an amount sufficient to permit visualization of the margins of a skin lesion in the treatment area; and   visualizing the margins of the skin lesion.   
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein administering the IRM compound induces a localized immune response that permits visualization of the margins of the skin lesion. 
   
   
       22 . A method of visibly accentuating the margins of a skin lesion comprising administering to a treatment area that comprises at least one clinically visible skin lesion an IRM compound for a period of time and in an amount sufficient to visibly accentuate the margins of the skin lesion. 
   
   
       23 - 26 . (canceled) 
   
   
       27 . A method of visualizing a subclinical skin lesion, the method comprising:
 administering to a treatment area an IRM compound for a period of time and in an amount sufficient to cause a subclinical skin lesion in the treatment area to become apparent; and   visualizing the subclinical skin lesion.   
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein the skin lesion is actinic keratosis. 
   
   
       29 . A method for identifying a precancerous region of skin comprising topically applying to a region of skin exhibiting fine lines and clinical wrinkles a composition comprising 1-isobutyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline-4-amine and monitoring the physical appearance of the region of skin exhibiting fine lines and clinical wrinkles, whereby a precancerous region becomes inflamed or irritated following application of the composition. 
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the composition is applied daily. 
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein the composition comprises about 1% to about 2% of 1-isobutyl-1H-imidazo[4,5-c]quinoline-4-amine.