Routine double treatments of superficial basal cell carcinomas using aminolaevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy

Background Superficial basal cell carcinomas of the skin (sBCC) often respo nd poorly to single-treatment aminolaevulinic acid-based photodynamic thera py (ALA-PDT), with a number of reports indicating a relapse rate of 50% or more. Objectives To determine whether a second treatment at seven days can improv e the response. Methods Twenty-six lesions were treated twice with ALA-PDT, with an interval of 7 days between the two treatment sessions. Results We observed a complete response rate of 100% 1 month after treatmen t. Only one lesion relapsed (16 months post-PDT), a relapse rate of 4% (med ian follow up 27 months; range 15-45 months), Cosmetic results were excelle nt. Conclusions We consider routine double treatments with ALA-PDT to be an eff ective approach to the management of sBCC, particularly those located in an atomically difficult, or cosmetically sensitive, sites.