title: Abnormal epidermal changes after argon laser treatment.
abstract: A 26-year-old woman with a congenital port-wine stain on the forehead was treated three times at 2-month intervals with an argon laser. Six months after the last treatment, moderate blanching and mild scaling confined to the treated area was observed. A biopsy specimen of the treated area revealed a significant decrease in ectatic vessels. However, epidermal changes similar to those of actinic keratosis with disorganized cell layers and marked cytologic abnormalities were seen. Analysis of peripheral blood lymphocytes for a defect in DNA repair was negative. Multiple, argon laser-induced photothermal effects may be responsible for the changes observed in our case and may lead to premalignant epidermal transformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology II, University of Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Knobler
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Aberer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Klein
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kocsis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ott
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D005153:Facial Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005260:Female; D006391:Hemangioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D007834:Lasers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA