2013, Volume 6, Issue 1, pp 50 – 54

Photodynamic therapy in the treatment of basal cell carcinoma

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Authors and Affiliations

Correspondence to:: Clara Matei, MD, PhD student, Assistant Lecturer “Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Department of Oncologic Dermatology and Allergology, Elias University Emergency Hospital, 37 Dionisie Lupu Street, District 1, code: 020022, Bucharest Mobile phone: +40758040765; E-mail: matei_clara@yahoo.com

Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a medical procedure based on the activation of the molecules of various exogenous or endogenous chemical substances called photosensitizers by a light source emitting radiation of an adequate wavelength, usually situated in the visible spectrum; photosensitizers are chemical compounds bearing the capacity to selectively concentrate in the neoplastic cells. The energy captured by the molecules of these substances pervaded in the tumor cells is subsequently discharged in the surrounding tissue, triggering certain photodynamic reactions that result in the destruction of the tumor. The procedure is applicable in numerous medical fields. Skin basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most frequent type of cancer of the human species, is a cutaneous tumor that responds very well to this innovative treatment method. By reviewing numerous recent studies in the field, this article aims to present the role and the indications of photodynamic therapy in the management of basal cell carcinoma, as well as the most important results achieved so far by this therapy in the field of dermato-oncology.

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About this article

PMC ID: 3624646
PubMed ID: 23599819
DOI: 

Article Publishing Date (print): 15-03-2013
Available Online: 25-03-2013

Journal information

ISSN Printing: 1844-122X
ISSN Online: 1844-3117
Journal Title: Journal of Medicine and Life

Copyright License: Open Access

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use and redistribution provided that the original author and source are credited.


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