Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves a lot of choices for a clinician, from deciding how to prepare the skin for a photosensitizer to selecting the light source. Next Steps in Derm, in partnership with the ODAC Dermatology Conference, addresses proven strategies for PDT in this interview with ODAC Conference Co-Chair Vishal A. Patel, MD, FACMS. Watch as Dr. Patel outlines varied options for enhancing permeation and why time really does matter for a sensitizer. Learn which patients may benefit from PDT using red light. Plus hear Dr. Patel’s suggestions for maintaining tolerability and enhancing patient compliance with treatment plans.
Further Reading
If you want to read more about photodynamic therapy, check out the following articles published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology:
ABSTRACT
Actinic keratoses (AK) are lesions with potential to transform into nonmelanoma skin cancers. Numerous methods are available for treatment of AK. Here, we review clinical trial data on the use of photodynamic treatment combined with the sensitizing agent aminolevulinic acid 20% solution (ALA-PDT) for AK management. Although treatment guidelines for AK vary in their specific recommendations, efficacy of ALA-PDT is considered comparable or better relative to other FDA-approved treatments for AK. It is generally well tolerated and has a very acceptable long-term safety profile. ALA-PDT is typically recommended for patients who have multiple AKs and is associated with improved cosmetic outcomes compared with cryotherapy. Patients who undergo treatment with ALA-PDT should receive thorough education regarding the risks and benefits of treatment, the treatment regimen and the importance of adhering to it, how to manage local reactions, and signs and symptoms that warrant further evaluation.
ABSTRACT
Photosensitization with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) combined with photodynamic therapy (PDT) is approved in the United States for the treatment of actinic keratosis (AK) and is used off-label for other indications including acne treatment and photo rejuvenation. However, pain, particularly during the initial illumination period, limits the utility of this highly efficacious therapy. Although modifications to conventional ALA-PDT protocols that improve tolerability without diminishing efficacy have been identified, few have been evaluated in randomized, controlled trials, and the number of variables involved in ALA incubation (eg, duration, occlusion, ALA formulation, and strength) and PDT illumination (eg, light source, fluence rate, irradiance, and duration) confounds standardization.
Perhaps the most promising modifications to date involve continuous activation of low levels of protoporphyrin IX, the photoactive metabolite of ALA, as well as using shorter incubation times (with or without prolongation of illumination), lower irradiance, and daylight or combined (daylight and conventional) PDT. However, reimbursement of PDT with alternative light sources in the US is hampered by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling, which specifies the blue or red light devices approved for use with corresponding marketed ALA 20% solution and 10% gel, respectively. This review summarizes the existing evidence with respect to pain control in patients undergoing ALA-PDT, recommendations from clinical experience, and goals for future research.
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