PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY FOR THE TREATMENT OF NONMELANOMATOUS CUTANEOUS MALIGNANCIES

Photodynamic therapy (PDt) is a modality whose concept is not new to d ermatologists, PDT has gained regulatory approval in the United States for the treatment of esophageal and lung malignancies. the field has grown over the lest decade, and now phase II/III clinical trials using second generation drugs for the treatment of nonmelanoma skin cancers , palliation of metastases to the skin, and Kaposi's sarcomas have bee n introduced. These new sensitizers tend to reduce the one side effect of PDT, namely persistent generalized cutaneous photosensitivity. PDT hers shown efficacy in (1) patients who have failed conventional ther apies, and for whom local treatment options are limited (2) patients i n whom surgery would result in cosmetic disfigurement, and (3) patient s prone to developing multiple lesions as in Gorlins syndrome. Dosimet ry is based on well-understood treatment matrices that have optimized light delivery with known photosensitizer administrations. The advanta ges of PDT for cutaneous malignancies include the ability to treat num erous lesions in one setting, in a noninvasive manner without any appa rent concern for the development of carcinogenicity. Copyright (C) 199 8 by W.B. Saunders Company.