Overall Results for a National Program of Photodynamic Therapy for Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Multicenter Clinical Study to Bring New Techniques to Social Health Care

Abstract

Along the past years, a national program to implement photodynamic therapy (PDT) for nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) was performed over the Brazilian territory. Using a strategy involving companies, national bank, and medical partners, equipment, medication, and protocols were tested in a multicenter study. With results collected over 6 years, we could reach a great deal of advances concerning the use of PDT for skin cancer. We present the overall reached results of the program and discuss several aspects about it, including public politics of treatment. A discussion about advantages of this technique within conditions of health care is placed, comparing PDT with surgery, including an analysis about the implementation of PDT in countries in development as Brazil, considering not only technical but social aspects, as the distribution of medical doctor in the Brazilian territory. The program resulted in a huge dissemination of PDT in Brazil and many countries in Latin America, in a partnership among public politics, universities, companies, and hospitals and clinics and in the insertion of national technologies as option to treat NMSC. Consequence of the program is mainly the continuation of the use of PDT in Brazil and many countries in Latin America.

Dissolving microneedles containing aminolevulinic acid improves protoporphyrin IX distribution

“…Based on our clinical experience, about 300 mg of the cream containing 20% wt/wt PpIX precursor is used to perform two sessions of PDT for a BCC lesion treatment. [68]. In this context, the dissolving MNs besides providing a more standardized delivery may contribute to PDT dissemination due to potential cost improvements by a lower drug concentration needed.…”

Photodynamic Therapy for Basal Cell Carcinoma: The Clinical Context for Future Research Priorities

“…It would be of interest for research to be carried out to assess any increased risk of treatment failure arising from such delays. It is accepted that sBCC is the least concerning subtype [ 63 ], and it is found that sBCC show higher complete response rates to topical PDT than any other subtype of BCC; this is usually attributed to their relative thinness, allowing the easier penetration of both the light and prodrug [ 95 , 96 ]. However, although the incidence of BCC is increasing worldwide, the rate of increase appears to be greater for the sBCC subtype, with an increasing proportion being found at younger ages.…”

A systematic review of photodynamic therapy as an antiviral treatment: Potential guidance for dealing with SARS-CoV-2

“…Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has proven to be a promising alternative approach for photoinactivation of pathogenic microorganisms, such as fungus [ [13] , [14] , [15] ], bacteria [ 16 , 17 ], parasites [ 18 , 19 ], even in diseases caused by viruses in humans [ [20] , [21] , [22] ]. Besides that, the low cost, and non-toxicity of PDT shows satisfactory clinicals therapeutic results [ [23] , [24] , [25] , [26] ], including in immunocompromised individuals [ [27] , [28] , [29] ].…”