title: A study of topical methyl-aminolaevulinate red-light photodynamic therapy in the treatment of actinic keratosis in Chinese patients: a Singaporean experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of skin cancers has been increasing in Singapore, owing to the country's location near the equator and its ageing population. Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment method employing light and a topical photosensitizer to treat actinic keratosis (AK). Most published data to date on PDT have been drawn from studies of patient with Fitzpatrick skin phototypes I and II.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effectiveness of PDT in the treatment of AK in patients with skin phototype IV in Singapore.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective analysis of 13 East Asian patients with AK treated with PDT at the National Skin Centre, Singapore, from 2006 to 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall clearance rate of AK at 3 months was 81.8% (9 of 11 patients; the other 2 were lost to follow-up). Mild to moderate pain during therapy was a common adverse event.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PDT is a useful treatment method for AK in East Asian patients with skin phototype IV. Further larger prospective studies will be needed to evaluate its overall efficacy in East Asian patients.
authors: National Skin Centre, Singapore City, Singapore.
authors: C C
authors: CC
authors: Oh
authors: National Skin Centre, Singapore City, Singapore.
authors: T S C
authors: TS
authors: Theng
authors: National Skin Centre, Singapore City, Singapore.
authors: W S
authors: WS
authors: Chong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D044466:Asian People; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055623:Keratosis, Actinic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012846:Singapore
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid