New Strategies in the Prevention of Actinic Keratosis: A Critical Review

Abstract

Actinic keratosis (AK) or lesions of epidermal dysplasia occurring in skin chronically exposed to solar radiation is very prevalent in lighter skin persons, with chronic long-term sun exposure being the major risk factor. With an aging population it is expected that the prevalence of AK will further increase. AK can progress to nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) and is a public health concern. Six leading dermatologists with expertise in AK and NMSC from Germany met to discuss the nature of the disease and the prevention and treatment strategies available to dermatologists today. While cosmetic sunscreen products form an essential element of sun protection strategies, they are not adequate when damage has already been inflicted. Newly developed products of the medical device category offer DNA repair function paired with high sun protection factor (SPF) UV protection. An adjuvant treatment algorithm for various risk levels of AK was developed. For patients with low and moderate risk, sunscreen only is recommended. For patient groups with high and very high risk, a very high photoprotection and photorepair action (DNA repair enzymes) in medical device products all year round is recommended.

Differentiation of Different Nonmelanoma Skin Cancer Types Using OCT

“…However, recently, noninvasive optical diagnostic methods have increasingly gained importance and show an increasing potential to complement the hitherto prevailing gold standard. For instance, procedures such as dermatoscopy, high-frequency ultrasound examination, and confocal microscopy have already become established in the early detection of NMSC types [1-3]. Another equally promising procedure that is increasingly gaining importance is optical coherence tomography (OCT).…”

When to suspect a non-melanoma skin cancer

“…A consultation about a skin lesion is a good opportunity to discuss sun safety advice. A popular way of remembering how to stay safe in the sun is to slip (on a long sleeve top), slop (on sun cream with sun protection factor (SPF) ≥30), slap (on a wide brim hat), seek (shade where possible), and slide (on sunglasses for eye and eyelid protection from ultraviolet light) 252627. Further advice on sun protection is provided in box 3.…”

Management of cancerization field with a medical device containing photolyase: a randomized, double‐blind, parallel‐group pilot study

“…Eryfotona AK-NMSC has a very high photoprotection factor (SPF > 100) combined with and photorepair action (DNA-repair enzymes). 7 We present here the results of a prospective, randomized, parallel, double-blind, comparative pilot study (PoC) (clinical trial ISD-FPT-01-2012) assessing the long-term effects of Eryfotona AK-NMSCâ Cream (Eryfotona) on cancerization field in patients with actinic keratosis vs. a commercially available sunscreen SPF50+ (Sunscreen).…”