Treatment of Kimura disease with photodynamic therapy: a case study

We report on the application of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the management of Kimura disease. A 58-year-old Asian male was offered this modality to assess the possibility to control disease progression. The patient was managed with surgery and the disease recurred and caused facial disfigurement. PDT was offered after careful discussion at UCLH multidiscipline meeting. The photosensitiser "mTHPC" was introduced intravenously 96h prior to delivering the light under ultrasound guidance. Magnetic resonance images showed moderate-significant reduction of the disease volume. Fourteen months post-PDT, the disease started re-growing and the patient subsequently underwent one further round of PDT which was as successful as the first round in reducing the facial disfigurement. Photodynamic therapy was very effective in controlling disease progression in this patient who suffers from Kimura disease.