Photodynamic therapy of head and neck basal cell carcinoma according to different clinicopathologic features

Abstract

Although PDT seems to be an effective treatment modality for superficial, ulcerative, and nodular BCCs, it is not recommended for pigmented lesions.

A photodynamic therapy combined with topical 5-aminolevulinic acid and systemic hematoporphyrin derivative is more efficient but less phototoxic for cancer

“…For example, in our study, two pigmented basal cell carcinomas showed poor response to the HPD-PDT, which might be because the pigments hinder the light absorption of the tumor cells (Kaviani et al 2005). However, our finding that these two tumors were cured after the second HPD-PDT indicates the repeated treatments can improve the response rate of the tumor to the PDT, which was also noted in the topical ALA-PDT in our present study.…”

Clinical use of photodynamic therapy in ocular tumors

“…24 The existence of pigmentation is considered generally as a criteria of exclusion for PDT because pigmentation prevents the penetration of light into the tissue. 95 Indeed, our review of pigmented choroidal melanoma revealed that Canal-Fontcuberta et al 43 reported the only three cases of pigmented choroidal melanoma treated with verteporfin and PDT, and tumor destruction was not observed in any patient. In another study, Favilla et al 64 found an inverse correlation with pigmentation and tumor regression with PDT where a hematoporphyrin derivative was used as a photosensitizer.…”

Consensus recommendations for the treatment of basal cell carcinomas in Gorlin syndrome with topical methylaminolaevulinate‐photodynamic therapy

“…Therefore, PDT may be considered for pigmented BCCs providing that adequate debulking is performed (as with all nBCCs). Patients with pigmented BCC treated with PDT should be closely followed because of higher recurrence risks …”