Treatment of actinic cheilitis with the Er:YAG laser.
BACKGROUND
Actinic cheilitis is a common condition with the potential to develop into squamous cell carcinoma. Current treatments have varying cure rates and complications. The role of the erbium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser in the treatment of actinic cheilitis has not been widely published, despite offering theoretical advantages over current treatment modalities.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the outcome of a series of patients treated with the Er:YAG laser for actinic cheilitis.


METHODS
This was a retrospective, interventional, nonrandomized, sequential case series set in a tertiary referral, dermatologic surgery unit. Ninety-nine consecutive patients with actinic cheilitis treated with the Er:YAG laser between January 2001 and June 2008 underwent a case note review, of which 77 went on to a structured telephone interview. The main outcome measures were a subjective improvement in lip symptoms related to actinic cheilitis and objective improvement in the lips at routine follow-up.


RESULTS
Mean time to interview follow-up was 65.7 months. Of those interviewed, 92.2% believed there had been an improvement in the cosmetic appearance of their lips; one hundred percent believed the function of their lips had improved or remained unchanged; and 84.8% remained completely disease free at the time of follow-up. The majority of patients (93.5%) were satisfied with the laser treatment. Scarring as a direct result of the laser occurred in 5.1% of patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Retrospective nature of data collection; inability to interview all patients who underwent treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
The Er:YAG laser is a successful modality for the treatment of actinic cheilitis with good functional and cosmetic results and only a small risk of long-term scarring. It should be considered as a first-line treatment for the disease.
Armenores
Paul
P
Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia. parmenores@gmail.com
James
Craig L
CL
Walker
Patrick C
PC
Huilgol
Shyamala C
SC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D002613:Cheilitis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D053844:Lasers, Solid-State; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome