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Routine double treatments of superficial basal cell carcinomas using aminolaevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy
J C Haller1, F Cairnduff, G Slack
1School of Medicine, Department of Colour Chemistry, Schools of Biomedical Sciences, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, U.K.
Background:
Superficial basal cell carcinomas of the skin (sBCC) often respond poorly to single-treatment aminolaevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT), with a number of reports indicating a relapse rate of 50% or more.
Objectives:
To determine whether a second treatment at seven days can improve the response.
Methods:
Twenty-six lesions were treated twice with ALA-PDT, with an interval of 7 days between the two treatment sessions.
Results:
We observed a complete response rate of 100% 1 month after treatment. Only one lesion relapsed (16 months post-PDT), a relapse rate of 4% (median follow up 27 months; range 15-45 months). Cosmetic results were excellent.
Conclusions:
We consider routine double treatments with ALA-PDT to be an effective approach to the management of sBCC, particularly those located in anatomically difficult, or cosmetically sensitive, sites.