Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Case Reports
. 1993 Jan;28(1):17-21.
doi: 10.1016/0190-9622(93)70002-b.

Topical photodynamic therapy with endogenous porphyrins after application of 5-aminolevulinic acid. An alternative treatment modality for solar keratoses, superficial squamous cell carcinomas, and basal cell carcinomas?

Affiliations
Case Reports

Topical photodynamic therapy with endogenous porphyrins after application of 5-aminolevulinic acid. An alternative treatment modality for solar keratoses, superficial squamous cell carcinomas, and basal cell carcinomas?

P Wolf et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 1993 Jan.

Erratum in

  • J Am Acad Dermatol 1993 Jul;29(1):41

Abstract

Background: Topical photodynamic therapy with endogenous porphyrins consists of irradiation of a tumor with visible light after the application of exogenous 5-aminolevulinic acid.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of this modality, patients with precancerous conditions and various skin cancers were treated.

Methods: Thirteen patients with 70 skin lesions were enrolled. Standard treatment involved the topical application of 20% 5-aminolevulinic acid in an oil-in-water emulsion. The emulsion was applied under an occlusive dressing for 4 to 8 hours before exposure to photoactivating light.

Results: We observed a complete response after a single treatment for all 9 solar keratoses, 5 of 6 early invasive squamous cell carcinomas, and 36 of 37 superficial basal cell carcinomas. Only 1 of 10 nodulo-ulcerative basal cell carcinomas completely resolved. Eight cutaneous metastases of malignant melanoma were therapeutic failures.

Conclusion: Topical photodynamic therapy with endogenous porphyrins is effective for superficial epithelial skin tumors.

PubMed Disclaimer

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources