Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

• Marcelle Grassi, MD
• Michelle McCarthy, PA 
• Ilene Rothman, MD
• Nathalie C. Zeitouni, MD  
• Anne Paquette, RN, BSN, CCRC
  Clinical Research Coordinator, Clinical Research Services 

The Department of Dermatology is the leading site in the country in the use of PDT for cutaneous malignancies, including basal cell carcinoma, nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS), squamous cell carcinoma in situ (Bowen's disease), extramammary Paget's disease and cutaneous lymphomas.

For basal cell carcinoma and Bowen's disease, the initial complete response rates and 3-5 year recurrence rates are comparable to conventional therapies. No tissue is removed, so that functional and cosmetic results are generally very good to excellent. Compared to surgery and other destructive modalities such as cryotherapy or electrodessication and curettage, there is generally more rapid healing and much less scarring.

PDT is of particular benefit for NBCCS. This genetic disease that results from the loss of a suppressor gene and leads to the occurrence of myriad basal cell carcinomas; sometimes as many as several hundred in a year. Conventional treatments can be complicated, painful and disfiguring. The Department has used Photofrin®-PDT and ALA-PDT on more than 2,000 basal cell carcinomas in patients with NBCCS, and has been able to treat multiple, complex lesions in a single treatment visit.