title: Daylight Photodynamic Therapy: What is Known and What is Yet to be Determined.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been used extensively to treat actinic keratoses (AKs) and less so nonmelanoma skin cancers (NMSC). Conventional in-office treatment is limited by intensive time requirements and patient discomfort. A new trend toward the use of daylight as a light source either clinically monitored or self-supervised is gaining acceptance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the current published data on daylight photodynamic therapy (dPDT) and identify knowledge gaps.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic search of the PubMed archives using the terms daylight PDT, daylight-PDT, daylight photodynamic therapy, and ambient light and photodynamic therapy was conducted on May 18, 2015. No restrictions were used for the search string.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventeen published works were identified on the use of dPDT; 8 randomized studies, 4 prospective cohort studies, 1 case series, 1 case report, and 3 retrospective studies. Complete response rates for treatment of AKs from randomized trials range from 46% to 89.2%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Daylight PDT has been demonstrated to have high efficacy with results similar to conventional PDT for the treatment of AKs. Initial reports regarding treatment of NMSC indicate recurrence rates much higher than other accepted therapies. Pain associated with treatment seems to be significantly less than for conventional PDT.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fitzmaurice
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Eisen
mesh_terms: D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002613:Cheilitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D055623:Keratosis, Actinic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013472:Sunlight; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents