Methyl Aminolevulinate Photodynamic Therapy an Alternative to Surgery for Superficial Basal-Cell Carcinoma: Presented at EADV

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Title: Methyl Aminolevulinate Photodynamic Therapy an Alternative to Surgery for Superficial Basal-Cell Carcinoma: Presented at EADV
URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/22D8B6.htm
Doctor's Guide
September 25, 2008

By Jenny Powers

PARIS -- September 25, 2008 -- A novel topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) combined with a photosensitising drug, methyl aminolevulinate (MAL), has been shown to be effective in the treatment of superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC), researchers reported here at the 17th European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) Congress.

An alternative to simple excision therapy is often sought for sBCC patients who are at risk for extensive scarring due to the number, size, and location of the lesions, and for elderly or other patients with decreased tolerance to surgical procedures due to anticoagulant treatments, cardiological risks, or other contraindications, it was explained here at a poster presentation on September 18.

MAL-PDT involves activation of MAL by visible light, with a subsequent release of reactive oxygen species, especially singlet oxygen, which in turn produces local tissue destruction.

Carlos Guillén Barona, MD, Valencia Oncology Institute, Valencia, Spain, and colleagues enrolled 30 patients from 6 centres in Spain who had an average of 1.6 sBCC lesions per individual. Patients in this trial received MAL cream 160 mg/g and illumination with a narrow-band LED light source (red light at 630 nm, light dose 307 J/cm²).

The patients were followed for 12 months, with clinical and patient assessments of the lesions at 3, 6, and 12 months post-treatment.

Among the study subjects who had an average of 1.6 (maximum 5) lesions per individual, 97.1% showed a complete response at 3 months; 14.3% of the lesions recurred at 12 months. The cured lesions were evaluated by the investigators at 3 and 12 months as a success, and 89.3% of these lesions were patient-evaluated as "good" or "excellent" in terms of cosmetic outcome.

MAL-PDT treatment was well tolerated, with one-third of subjects reporting photosensitivity at 15 minutes post-treatment, which decreased with time.

No serious adverse events were reported in this trial.

The researchers concluded that MAL-PDT is therapeutically effective in an everyday setting, and provides a well-tolerated alternative therapy option to surgery in patients with sBCC. The cosmetic outcome was concluded to be good to excellent by both patients and investigator assessment.

Funding for this study was provided by Galderma Laboratories, LP.

[Presentation title: Photodynamic Therapy With 5-Methyl Aminolevulinate (MAL-PDT) in Patients With Superficial Basal Cell Carcinoma. Abstract FP1096]

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