Photodynamic treatment of skin malignancies with aminolevulinic acid. Emphasis on anatomical observations and in vivo erythema visual assessment.
BACKGROUND
Photodynamic therapy with delta-aminolevulinic acid is a promising alternative treatment for superficial skin malignancies.


OBJECTIVE
Further clinical experience, study of tissue alterations leading to recovery, and correlation/prediction of the therapeutic response through in vivo skin color changes as represented by erythema development.


METHODS
The therapeutic procedure, sequential histology and histochemistry, and the development of a remote machine vision system to measure, map, and monitor the erythema development.


CONCLUSIONS
A high cure response rate with adequate follow-up was shown. A significant correlation of the clinical-histologic response of tumors subjected to treatment with the erythema measurements implies that erythema inspection and quantitative analysis offer a reliable predictor of the therapeutic outcome and a clue for optimization of this treatment modality.
Tosca
A D
AD
Department of Dermatology, Heraklion University General Hospital, Crete, Greece.
Balas
C J
CJ
Stefanidou
M P
MP
Katsantonis
J C
JC
Georgiou
S K
SK
Tzardi
M N
MN
D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D004890:Erythema / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D007642:Keratosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012074:Remission Induction; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D012880:Skin Pigmentation; D013472:Sunlight / Q000009:adverse effects; D014741:Video Recording
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid