Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an established treatment option for low-risk basal cell carcinoma (BCC). BCC is the most common human cancer and also a convenient cancer in which to study PDT treatment. This review clarifies challenges to researchers evident from the clinical use of PDT in BCC treatment. It outlines the context of PDT and how PDT treatments for BCC have been developed hitherto. The sections examine the development of systemic and subsequently topical photosensitizers, light delivery regimens, and the use of PDT in different patient populations and subtypes of BCC. The outcomes of topical PDT are discussed in comparison with alternative treatments, and topical PDT applications in combination and adjuvant therapy are considered. The intention is to summarize the clinical relevance and expose areas of research need in the BCC context, ultimately to facilitate improvements in PDT treatment.
Highlights
Following its discovery at the beginning of the twentieth century, photodynamic therapy (PDT)has been developed as a cancer treatment, with useful applications in certain skin cancers and precursor lesions, including in low-risk basal cell carcinoma (BCC), where topical PDT is an established treatment option licensed in more than 18 countries [1]
There would be a potential gain in studying the refractory/recurrent tumors that occur in the topical PDT treatment of BCC, perhaps those arising in superficial BCC (sBCC), where penetration problems of light and the prodrug are both at a minimum
With regard to the cosmetic outcome as assessed at one year, the results showed a clear advantage of PDT in both subtypes [4,112,114]
Summary
Following its discovery at the beginning of the twentieth century, photodynamic therapy (PDT). Molecules 2020, 25, 5398 the previous works in context, to include a wider range of publications, to shed light on the current limitations of PDT for the treatment of BCC, and to indicate promising areas of further research to address these This focused review is based on comprehensive searching of the literature, including those of the earlier works, from inception to the end of October 2020, using PubMed searches of papers written in English. The relevant papers were identified and analyzed, and their references were followed up and included as necessary It was aimed at providing an outline of the current state of the knowledge based on the analysis of RCTs of topical PDT in BCC, together with a historical overview of its development. BCC and, in particular, superficial BCC (sBCC) can be advocated as a research model for the greater understanding of aspects of PDT treatment of cancer
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