Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 15, 2025
Using a 1064-nm Picosecond Neodymium-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Laser for Periorbital Hyperpigmentation
Published on: May 23, 2025
Pulsed Dye Laser Treatment is Associated With Decreased Development of Subsequent Keratinocyte Carcinoma
Jamie Hu1, Travis Benson2, Saud Aleissa1,3
1Dermatology Laser and Cosmetics Center, Department of Dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
Background:
Keratinocyte carcinomas (KCs) are the most common cancers in the United States. Despite existing preventative strategies, their incidence continues to rise, highlighting a need for better intervention. The pulsed dye laser (PDL) has a myriad of medical indications but has not been studied in skin cancer prevention.
Objective:
The objective of this study was to assess the effect of PDL treatment on subsequent facial KC development.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with a history of facial KC who received treatment at the Dermatology Laser and Cosmetic Center at Massachusetts General Hospital between 2000 and 2024.
Results:
Fifty-nine patients with a history of facial KC who received PDL treatment and 59 matched controls met inclusion criteria for the study. Subsequent facial KC was observed in 27.1% of PDL-treated patients, compared with 54.2% of controls (RR 0.50, p = .0047). After adjusting for age, sex, and skin type, control subjects remained at a higher risk for developing new facial KC compared with PDL-treated patients (HR 2.88, p = .0008).
Conclusion:
These data suggest a potential association between PDL treatment and a reduced rate of subsequent facial KC development in patients with a history of KC.
