A study of topical methyl-aminolaevulinate red-light photodynamic therapy in the treatment of actinic keratosis in Chinese patients: a Singaporean experience.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The incidence of skin cancers has been increasing in Singapore, owing to the country's location near the equator and its ageing population. Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment method employing light and a topical photosensitizer to treat actinic keratosis (AK). Most published data to date on PDT have been drawn from studies of patient with Fitzpatrick skin phototypes I and II.

AIM:

To evaluate the effectiveness of PDT in the treatment of AK in patients with skin phototype IV in Singapore.

METHODS:

This was a retrospective analysis of 13 East Asian patients with AK treated with PDT at the National Skin Centre, Singapore, from 2006 to 2013.

RESULTS:

The overall clearance rate of AK at 3 months was 81.8% (9 of 11 patients; the other 2 were lost to follow-up). Mild to moderate pain during therapy was a common adverse event.

CONCLUSIONS:

PDT is a useful treatment method for AK in East Asian patients with skin phototype IV. Further larger prospective studies will be needed to evaluate its overall efficacy in East Asian patients.

• Authors: C C Oh, T S C Theng, W S Chong
• Journal: Clinical and experimental dermatology (Clin Exp Dermatol) Vol. 40 Issue 5 Pg. 502-6 (Jul 2015) ISSN: 1365-2230 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 25800146 (Publication Type: Evaluation Study, Journal Article)
• Copyright: © 2015 British Association of Dermatologists.

Chemical References

• Photosensitizing Agents
• Aminolevulinic Acid

Topics

• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Aminolevulinic Acid (therapeutic use)
• Asian People
• Female
• Humans
• Keratosis, Actinic (drug therapy, ethnology)
• Male
• Pain (etiology)
• Photochemotherapy (adverse effects, methods)
• Photosensitizing Agents (therapeutic use)
• Retrospective Studies
• Singapore