SummaryBackgroundCommon skin tumors like basal- and squamous-cell carcinoma present a serious problem in modern medicine. Exposure to ultraviolet solar radiation is the main cause of these lesions. Since application of Aldara® and PDT separately is well documented, we decided to use both methods together.The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of local photodynamic therapy supplemented with topical application of Aldara® in basal-cell carcinoma.Material/MethodsThirty-four patients ages 50 to 68 years were enrolled to the trial and underwent PDT treatment. Each case of BCC was histopathologically confirmed. Ten patients were subjected to local Levulan®-PDT and placebo (Eucerin as vehicle cream), and 24 patients were subjected to Levulan®-PDT and imiquimod. Photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) was used to detect and visualize suspicious foci (including cancer lesions).ResultsIn the group of patients who were treated using Levulan®-PDT and placebo, 6 patients (60%) were totally cured and 4 lesions (40%) significantly decreased in size. In the group of patients treated with Levulan®-PDT and imiquimod, 18 lesions totally disappeared (75%), 6 lesions significantly diminished, and in 1 patient small foci of previously excised BCC developed again in scar tissue 10 month after the first control examination.ConclusionsCure was achieved without any scarring and with very good cosmetic effects. Although this is the preliminary report, the presented modification of PDT seems to be reasonable and promising in treating basal-cell carcinoma.

Nuclear ubiquitous casein and cyclin-dependent kinases substrate (NUCKS) is 27 kDa chromosomal protein of unknown function. Its amino acid composition as well as structure of its DNA binding domain resembles that of high-mobility group A, HMGA proteins. HMGA proteins are associated with various malignancies. Since changes in expression of HMGA are considered as marker of tumor progression, it is possible that similar changes in expression of NUCKS could be useful tool in diagnosis and prognosis of breast cancer. For identification and analysis of NUCKS we used proteomic and histochemical methods. Analysis of patient-matched samples of normal and breast cancer by mass spectrometry revealed elevated levels of NUCKS in protein extracts from ductal breast cancers. We elicited specific antibodies against NUCKS and used them for immunohistochemistry in invasive ductal carcinoma of breast. We found high expression of NUCKS in 84.3% of cancer cells. We suggest that such overexpression of NUCKS can play significant role in breast cancer biology.

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Actinic keratosis (AK) is the most common in situ cancerous skin lesion. Compared with other approved treatment modalities photodynamic therapy is preferred by patients due to faster recovery and improved cosmetic outcome. However, pain during irradiation is an important drawback. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness and tolerability of topical aminolaevulinic acid-photodynamic therapy in the treatment of AK on the head using red and green light. Complete remissions after 3 sessions of photodynamic therapy at 2-week intervals following 9 months of observation were 91.67% for red light and 86.67% for green light (difference not significant). The mean pain value was significantly greater in areas irradiated with red light compared with green light for all 3 sessions. This comparative study demonstrates that aminolaevulinic acid-photodynamic therapy with green light is of similar efficacy as that with red light in the treatment of middle/moderate AK, but causes less pain.

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