PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY WITH TOPICAL APPLICATION OF 5-AMINOLEVULINIC ACID IN THE TREATMENT OF ACTINIC KERATOSES - AN INITIAL CLINICAL-STUDY

Background: The incidence of actinic keratoses (AK) is rising and ther e is still a need for therapeutic alternatives. Objective: To demonstr ate the efficacy and tolerability of topical photodynamic therapy (PDT ) using 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) in the treatment of AK. Methods: T en patients with 36 lesions (19 at hands and arms, 17 on the head) rec eived ALA-PDT once (occlusive application of a 10% ALA emulsion for 6 h, irradiation with red light, 580-740 nm, 150 J/cm(2)) and were then monitored for 3 months. Therapeutic efficacy was judged using a score evaluating infiltration and keratosis of AK. Results: After 28 days, s ignificantly lower score sums were observed (head: mean=15%; hand: mea n=67%) compared to the initial score (100%). Complete remission was ac hieved in 71% of AK localized on the head, No notable side effects wer e observed. Conclusion: This study demonstrated the potential of good efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of AK using topical ALA-PDT . How efficacy for lesions on the hand can be improved and whether PDT is able to concur with established treatment modalities remains to be shown in further studies.