- Case-Based Roundtable
- General Dermatology
- Eczema
- Chronic Hand Eczema
- Alopecia
- Aesthetics
- Vitiligo
- COVID-19
- Actinic Keratosis
- Precision Medicine and Biologics
- Rare Disease
- Wound Care
- Rosacea
- Psoriasis
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Atopic Dermatitis
- Melasma
- NP and PA
- Skin Cancer
- Hidradenitis Suppurativa
- Drug Watch
- Pigmentary Disorders
- Acne
- Pediatric Dermatology
- Practice Management
- Prurigo Nodularis
- Buy-and-Bill
Article
6 important trends in PDT treatment for AK
Several “What’s New” factors will help dermatologists optimize photodynamic therapy in the treatment of actinic keratoses.
In his presentation yesterday (Saturday, Oct. 3) at the Fall Clinical Dermatology Conference, Brian Berman, M.D., Ph.D., updated the audience on “PDT: What’s New and What’s Important.”
Dr. Berman discussed how to optimize photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of actinic keratoses (AK). He said several “What’s New” factors will help dermatologists accomplish that optimization.
READ: The next stage in the evolution of PDT
Dr. Berman says today’s PDT is characterized by several new trends:
- Shorter aminolevulinic acid (ALA) incubation time
- Broad area “field” treatment
- Occlusion of ALA for arm and leg AKs
- Increased skin temperature during ALA incubation to increase protoporphrin IX (PpIX) and, thus, increase efficacy
- Appropriate level of cooling during light exposure and/or very short incubation with ALA to reduce pain during light
- Daylight PDT
Of these, he says, the “What’s Important”-or most important-advancements are two-fold: “Increased efficacy with occlusion of extremity AKs, and ‘painless’ PDT.”
Dr. Berman is co-director of Skin & Cancer Associates, Aventura, Fla., and also serves as voluntary professor of dermatology and cutaneous surgery at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
