Laser therapy of skin tumors

Malignant skin tumors can be treated by CO2 laser excision or vaporization, neodymium: yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser coagulation, and systemic or topical photodynamic therapy (PDT). Possible indications for CO2 laser vaporization include superficial basal cell carcinomas, actinic keratoses, Bowen's disease, actinic cheilitis, and leukoplakias. The Nd:YAG laser may be used for coagulation of basal cell carcinomas, squamous cell carcinomas, Kaposi's sarcoma, and metastatic skin tumors. Systemic and topical PDT is still an experimental modality and is mostly applied for treatment of basal cell carcinomas. However, laser treatment of skin tumors is not yet considered as standard therapy and should be confined to selected patients. Further clinical studies are necessary to determine the role of laser therapy in this special indication.