Bevacizumab as Adjuvant Therapy in the Treatment of Keloid: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

Background. Despite the availability of numerous therapies, keloid treatment remains a challenging clinical issue. Intralesional triamcinolone has been established as an effective corticosteroid treatment for keloids, while sporadic reports suggest the efficacy of intralesional verapamil. This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of bevacizumab as an adjuvant therapy for keloid treatment. Methods. This randomized controlled trial involved 38 patients diagnosed with keloid according to clinical criteria. The study compared the effects of intralesional triamcinolone combined with bevacizumab injections with intralesional triamcinolone alone. Patients were randomly assigned to either the combination treatment group, which received intralesional triamHEXAL® (20 mg/ml, every two weeks for three months) plus Avastin® (2.5 mg/ml, every two weeks for two months), or the single treatment group, which received intralesional triamHEXAL® alone. The Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) was used for serial photographic records of scar evaluation, with differences in VSS scores considered the primary outcome, and changes in height and patient satisfaction visual analog score (VAS) were secondary outcomes. Results. A total of 38 patients participated, with a mean age (SD) of 35.32 (14.02) years and 50% male. No significant differences in age, BMI, disease duration, gender, causing, family history, or site were observed between the two groups. The single treatment group exhibited a mean reduction of 0.60 (95% CI: (−1.18, −0.01); P=0.045) in pigmentation score and a mean decrease of 1.37 (95% CI: (−2.68, −0.07); P=0.039) in total score compared to the combination treatment group after three months of treatment. There was a significant reduction in keloid height in the combination group after the end of the treatment (P=0.024). No significant differences in side effects were observed between the two groups. Conclusion. Our study demonstrates that bevacizumab can be considered an effective and safe adjuvant therapy option for keloid treatment, suggesting its potential as a promising treatment for the management of keloids. This trial is registered with IRCT20131119015455N5.