Photodynamic therapy: demonstrated efficacy in treating bowen's disease and non-melanoma skin cancer

Dermatology Nursing, August, 2008

Galderma Laboratories participated in the XXI World Congress of Dermatology in Buenos Aires by bringing together experts who participated in a symposium on photodynamic therapy (PDT). In this event, they provided an in-depth review of the major accomplishments and new opportunities for the use of PDT and presented data on the efficacy and safety of this therapy, mainly shown in its effect on minimizing the development of premalignant cells into carcinomas.

Panelists discussed the incidences of non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and how it is associated with lower rates of morbidity and mortality compared with other malignancies, but NMSC also occurs far more often than other malignancies. The panelists opined that the key to the treatment of NMSC is prevention and efforts must be made to educate the entire population, particularly children and teenagers.

The panelists discussed worldwide experience which suggests that topical PDT is both effective and highly rated by patients. Dr. Colin A. Morton discussed research by The International Society for Photodynamic Therapy which recently performed a systematic literature review of the evidence for using PDT in non-melanoma skin cancer. The literature review indicated that 87% to 92% of non-hyperkeratotic actinic keratoses of the head and neck were cleared 3 months following topical PDT, using approved protocols. In addition, the literature indicated that clearance of lesions at 3 months was 93% with methyl aminolevulinate (MALPDT), compared with 86% and 83%, respectively, with conventional therapies.

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