Could an antidepressant cream make skin cancer treatment work better?

NCT ID NCT06778434

Recruiting now Disease control Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a cream containing imipramine (an antidepressant) can improve photodynamic therapy (PDT) for actinic keratosis, a common skin pre-cancer. 48 US veterans with fair skin and many pre-cancerous spots will receive PDT on their face and forearms, with imipramine on one side and a placebo on the other. The goal is to see if imipramine reduces immune suppression from PDT, making the treatment more effective and less painful.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: imipramine (topical cream)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could make a standard skin pre-cancer treatment more effective and less painful for veterans.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial (48 people) testing a new combination of already-approved drugs. It may not show a clear benefit, and results may not apply to the general public.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

actinic keratosis

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ACTINIC KERATOSIS IMIPRAMINE PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY

Contacts and locations

Locations

Dayton VA Medical Center, Dayton, OH
RECRUITING

Dayton, Ohio, 45428, United States

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