Our Clinical Experience with the Use of Photodynamic Therapy in Patients withthe Basal Cell Carcinoma and Morbus Bowen(Comparison of Efficacy of Two Photosensitizers)

Overview

The group of 18 patients (11 males and 7 females) treated by photodynamic therapy (PDT) at theDepartment of Dermatology of the Faculty Hospital in Hradec Králové during the period 1999-2003was followed. Photosensitizers meso-tetra-para-sulphophenyl-porphin (TPPS4) and
-aminolevulicacid (ALA) followed by irradiation by a source of visible light with the wave length of 600-800 nm indoses of 120-200 J/cm2 were used.In 16 patients the solitary or multiple basal cell carcinoma were histologically confirmed, onepatient had morbus Bowen and one had both morbus Bowen and basal cell carcinoma. PDT withTPPS4 was given to 7 patients, 10 patients received ALA and 1 patient was treated with TPPS4 andalso ALA later on. Evaluation after 6 months showed 62.5% healed lesions after TPPS4 use and only50% after local ALA application. Nevertheless, the PDT seems to be a perspective method in thetreatment of localized skin tumors and superficial inflammatory skin diseases. However, its wideruse is conditioned by the registration of photosensitizing substances in the Czech Republic.

Key words:
photodynamic therapy - TPPS4 - ALA