Comparative study for the effect of photodynamic therapy, imiquimod immunotherapy
and combination of both therapies on 40 lesions of actinic keratosis in Japanese
patients.
Author(s): Tanaka N(1), Ohata C, Ishii N, Imamura K, Ueda A, Furumura M, Yasumoto S,
Kawakami T, Tsuruta D, Hashimoto T.
Affiliation(s): Author information:
(1)Department of Dermatology, Kurume University School of Medicine, and Kurume
University Institute of Cutaneous Cell Biology, Kurume, Japan.
Publication date & source: 2013, J Dermatol. , 40(12):962-7
We treated 12, 15 and 13 Japanese actinic keratosis (AK) lesions with
5-aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy (PDT), 5% imiquimod cream and
combination of both therapies, respectively, and compared the effects. Patients
underwent the second course, when AK lesions remained after the first course.
Efficacy was evaluated 1 month after each treatment. Combination therapy cleared
all AK lesions only after the first course, while PDT and imiquimod therapy
cleared 41.7% and 66.7% of AK lesions after the first course, respectively. All
residual AK lesions after the first course were cleared by the second courses of
PDT or imiquimod therapy. During the course, erosion and crust developed
significantly more frequently in combination therapy (P < 0.001). Most Japanese
AK lesions can be satisfactorily treated with either PDT or imiquimod
monotherapy. However, only severe cases may better be treated with combination
therapy, which show higher efficacy even though adverse events occur frequently.
|