Photodynamic therapy
Photodynamic therapy or PDT is an efficient technique used to treat precancerous conditions such as:
- Actinic keratosis: also known as sun damage, which occurs mainly in older people with high levels of exposure to the sun
- Small superficial basal cell carcinomas: the commonest form of skin cancer
- Bowen’s disease: skin cancer in the surface layers of the skin
Treatments for other disorders are currently being developed.
Two types of photodynamic therapy
Classic photodynamic therapy
A photosensitising agent is applied to the skin lesion. This agent is then radiated with visible red light. Oxygen-free radicals destroy (pre)cancerous cells and at the same time trigger an immune response.
Daylight photodynamic therapy
In some cases, your dermatologist will opt for daylight photodynamic therapy. Here the malignant cells are made sensitive to visible light by exposure to daylight outdoors rather than using a lamp, so that they are shed and new, healthy cells are produced.
Side effects of photodynamic therapy
For 24 hours after the treatment you may feel slight pain or redness, scabs, swellings and colour changes may occur on the skin.