title: [Topical photodynamic therapy in cutaneous oncology].
abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) or photodynamic chemotherapy is a new therapeutic two-step procedure consisting of an administration of a photosensitizer followed by light irradiation. PDT has been used for the treatment of cutaneous malignancies and offers the advantage over surgery of being a selective and non-invasive approach. The authors present a review of Medline-indexed experiences and trials of topical PDT in cutaneous oncology, and, by the way, remind anatomoclinical features of non-melanoma skin cancers. Complete response rates and cosmetic outcome after topical PDT with 5-aminolevulinic acid are encouraging and enable from now to consider this promising procedure as a new effective approach to manage skin cancers, particularily superficial and extensive lesions including actinic keratoses, superficial basocellular carcinomas and Bowen's disease.
authors.affiliation: Service de Dermatologie, Hôpital Erasme, U.L.B.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vereecken
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laporte
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Awada
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Velu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heenen
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007642:Keratosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000188:drug therapy; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*