title: The pulsed dye laser for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma.
abstract: Basal cell carcinomas (BCC) have a specialized microvasculature system that can be targeted by the 585-nm pulsed dye laser (PDL) utilizing the theory of selective photothermolysis. Seven volunteers with nine well-defined, biopsy-proven BCCs, were treated with the PDL (585-nm wavelength, a single 450-μs pulse, 7-mm spot size, and 9.0 J/cm(2) energy). The lesions, along with a 4-mm border of normal skin were treated. Pain assessment was carried out immediately after the laser treatment. A deep shave biopsy with histological examination occurred 4 weeks after the laser treatment. Pain was assessed on a scale of 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst pain possible). The average patient score was 2.1 (range 1-4). On histology, 5/9 (55.6%) sites demonstrated no evidence of BCC; however, 4/9 (44.4%) sites showed residual BCC. Although the PDL was able to clear over half of the BCCs in this study, there was an unacceptably high persistence rate of 44.4%. The PDL did not achieve the clearance rate that can be attained with current standard BCC treatment modalities. At this time, we do not recommend that a single treatment with the 585-nm PDL can be used as a primary therapy for BCC.
authors: Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1475 NW 12th Avenue, Suite 2175, Miami, FL 33136, USA.
authors: Christopher J
authors: CJ
authors: Ballard
authors: Maria P
authors: MP
authors: Rivas
authors: Michael Patrick
authors: MP
authors: McLeod
authors: Sonal
authors: S
authors: Choudhary
authors: George W
authors: GW
authors: Elgart
authors: Keyvan
authors: K
authors: Nouri
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D054025:Lasers, Dye / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000601:surgery*; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome