title: Pre-treatment deep curettage can significantly reduce tumour thickness in thick Basal cell carcinoma while maintaining a favourable cosmetic outcome when used in combination with topical photodynamic therapy.
abstract: Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) has limitations in the treatment of thick skin tumours. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of pre-PDT deep curettage on tumour thickness in thick (≥2 mm) basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Additionally, 3-month treatment outcome and change of tumour thickness from diagnosis to treatment were investigated. At diagnosis, mean tumour thickness was 2.3 mm (range 2.0-4.0). Pre- and post-curettage biopsies were taken from each tumour prior to PDT. Of 32 verified BCCs, tumour thickness was reduced by 50% after deep curettage (P ≤ 0.001). Mean tumour thickness was also reduced from diagnosis to treatment. At 3-month followup, complete tumour response was found in 93% and the cosmetic outcome was rated excellent or good in 100% of cases. In conclusion, deep curettage significantly reduces BCC thickness and may with topical PDT provide a favourable clinical and cosmetic short-term outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, St. Olav's University Hospital HF, Institute of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7030 Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Eidi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Christensen
authors.forename: Cato
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mørk
authors.forename: Olav Andreas
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Foss