title: Treatment of oral leukoplakia with photodynamic therapy: A pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oral leukoplakia (OL) is the most common potentially malignant disorder that may transform into oral carcinoma. By treating leukoplakia in its incipient stage, the risk of occurrence of oral carcinoma can be prevented. In this aspect, photodynamic therapy (PDT) can serve as a useful treatment modality. The aim of the study is to treat patients with OL using PDT in which 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is used as a photosensitizer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients with OL were included in the study. They were treated with 10% ALA mediated PDT (light source: Xenon lamp, power: 0.1 W, wavelength: 630 ± 5 nm, total dose: 100 J/cm(2) per session) for 6-8 sessions. Follow-up was done for a period of 1 year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One month (4 weeks) after ALA-PDT, the response was evaluated based on clinical examination. It was as follows: Complete response: Two patients; partial response: Two patients; and no response: One patient. There was no recurrence in any of the cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was satisfactory reduction in the size of the OL lesion without any side-effects. Thus, ALA mediated PDT seems to be a promising alternative for the treatment of OL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Tamil Nadu Government Dental College and Hospital, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Niranzena Panneer
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Selvam
authors.forename: Jayachandran
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sadaksharam
authors.forename: Ganesan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Singaravelu
authors.forename: Rajasekaran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010865:Pilot Projects
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D000622:Aminolevulinic Acid