Introduction: The external application of aminoleavulinic acid (ALA), which is a substrate of physiologic cell metabolism, represents a possible treatment option in superficial basal cell carcinomas (BCC). The development of new ALA-esters (mALA) with potential for higher penetration depths promises higher therapeutic success. This research aimed to prove the following hypothesis: The cytotoxic effect of the mALA- photodynamic therapy (mALA-PDT), when compared to the ALA-PDT, leads to a higher clinical success rate.
Material and Methods: 24 patients with multiple facial tumors, after having received several local surgical excisions with known histology, were treated with either ALA- or mALA-PDT, during the past two years. In total, 89 basal cell carcinoma, 45 actinic keratoses, 6 keratoacanthoma, and 2 squamous cell carcinomas were treated. ALA-PDT: A thermo gel with 40 % mALA or ALA was applied from a cooled syringe. Three to five hours after gel application the skin was cleaned from any gel residues. Irradiation was done with a diode laser and was performed in two sessions, each 10 min long. After intervals of 2, 4 and 12 weeks, the patients were recalled to assess therapeutic efficacy. This was followed by photographic documentation. Results: More than 80% of the tumors treated primarily were resolved successfully. A recurrence rate of approximately 15% was observed. Three per cent of the tumors showed no reaction to therapy. There were no statistically significant differences between the two therapeutic groups. Discussion: The advantage of the use of ALA lies foremost in the fast metabolic use of the body's own photosensitizer PpIX. There are no known side effects of this therapy. Moreover, external application is superior to systemic application with regard to patient management. The method can be combined with other therapies. Although the mALA should have a better penetration in tumor tissue, the therapeutic outcome is similar to the use of ALA.
The aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) -based fluorescence diagnosis has been found to be promising for an early detection and demarcation of superficial oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC). This method has previously demonstrated high sensitivity, however this clinical trial showed a specificity of approximately 62 %. This specificity was mainly restricted by tumor detection in the oral cavity in the presence of bacteria. After topical ALA application in the mouth of patients with previously diagnosed OSSC, red fluorescent areas were observed which did not correlate to confirm histological findings.
Swabs and plaque samples were taken from 44 patients and cultivated microbiologically. Fluorescence was investigated (OMA-system) from 32 different bacteria strains found naturally in the oral cavity.
After ALA incubation, 30 of 32 strains were found to synthesize fluorescent porphyrins, mainly Protoporphyrin IX. Also multiple fluorescent spectra were obtained having peak wavelengths of 636 nm and around 618 nm - 620 nm indicating synthesis of different porphyrins, such as the lipophylic Protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) and hydrophylic porphyrins (water soluble porphyrins, wsp). Of the 32 fluorescent bacterial strains, 18 produced wsp, often in combination with PpIX, and 5 produced solely wsp. These results clarify that ALA-based fluorescence diagnosis without consideration or suppression of bacteria fluorescence may lead to false-positive findings. It is necessary to suppress bacteria fluorescence with suitable antiseptics before starting the procedure. In this study, when specific antiseptic pre-treatment was performed bacterial associated fluorescence was significantly reduced.
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