title: Treatment of actinic cheilitis with the Er:YAG laser.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, Australia. parmenores@gmail.com
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Armenores
authors.forename: Craig L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: James
authors.forename: Patrick C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Walker
authors.forename: Shyamala C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Huilgol
mesh_terms: 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