Daylight Photodynamic Therapy: An Update
Chaw-Ning Lee1,2, Rosie Hsu1, Hsuan Chen1
1Department of Dermatology, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 704, Taiwan.
Abstract:
Daylight photodynamic therapy (dPDT) uses sunlight as a light source to treat superficial skin cancer. Using sunlight as a therapeutic device has been present for centuries, forming the basis of photodynamic therapy in the 20th century. Compared to conventional PDT, dPDT can be a less painful, more convenient and an effective alternative. The first clinical uses of dPDT on skin cancers began in Copenhagen in 2008. Currently, aminolevulinic acid-mediated dPDT has been approved to treat actinic keratosis patients in Europe. In this review article, we introduce the history and mechanism of dPDT and focus on the pros and cons of dPDT in treating superficial skin cancers. The future applications of dPDT on other skin diseases are expected to expand as conventional PDT evolves.
