Plum-blossom needling enhanced the effect of photodynamic therapy on basal cell carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) often occurs on the face of middle and older aged people. Given this particular location, aminolevulinic acid-photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) is often applied. Specific measures in PDT treatment should be performed to increase the ALA penetration capability because the limited depth of ALA penetration may not allow for therapy to reach the tumor base. This research aims to explore a method that facilitates ALA penetration.

Three patients with BCC were subjected to four regular sessions of ALA-PDT every other week. Before the PDT treatment, super pulsed CO₂ laser was used to burn a part of the lesions, and plum-blossom needle was then tapped at the lesions for three times. The fresh prepared 20% 5-ALA was coated and kept for 3 h. The lesion was irradiated with red light with 126 J/cm² at a wavelength of 633 nm and at a rate of 100 mW/cm² for 30 min.

After each session of ALA-PDT, the thickness of BCC gradually decreased. After final session of ALA-PDT, the plaque became a red, painless patch. The lesions were repaired completely, and a left brown patch was left.

Plum-blossom needle can be effectively applied as adjunctive treatment strategy in the development of ALA-PDT for BCC.