Half-Light Dose BF-200 ALA PDT Promising for Severe Actinic Keratosis, Study Finds
Spain: Within the specialty of dermatology, a new study has shed light on the effectiveness of a novel photodynamic therapy (PDT) approach using BF-200 ALA for managing actinic keratosis (AK) with extensive field cancerization. The research specifically compares the outcomes of a half-light dose protocol to the conventional full-light dose, aiming to enhance treatment efficacy and minimize patient discomfort.
The researchers revealed that a reduced light dose red-light PDT protocol utilizing BF-200 ALA is both effective and safe for treating severe field cancerization. However, further research with larger sample sizes is necessary to establish its clinical utility fully. The findings were published online in the International Journal of Dermatology.
Actinic keratosis, a precancerous skin condition resulting from prolonged sun exposure, often affects large areas of skin, especially in patients with severe field cancerization. Traditional PDT methods involve applying a photosensitizing agent to the affected skin, followed by exposure to a specific wavelength of light to activate the agent and destroy abnormal cells. BF-200 ALA is a newer formulation of aminolevulinic acid, which has shown promise in improving the efficacy of PDT.
Against the above background, Jorge Naharro-Rodriguez, Universidad de Alcalá, Madrid, Spain, and colleagues aimed to compare the outcomes of two red-light illumination protocols in patients with actinic keratosis treated with photodynamic therapy in a prospective randomized study.
Following curettage and the application of BF-200 ALA gel, patients were randomly assigned to two groups: one group underwent the full-dose red-light PDT protocol. At the same time, the other received a half-dose red-light PDT protocol.
The following were the key findings of the study:
- Both protocols resulted in similar improvements in the actinic keratosis area and severity index, improvements in quality of life, and adverse effects.
- There was a slight reduction in pain (the Visual Analogue Scale score) in the half-dose group.
"Results from this investigation suggest that the half-light dose protocol using BF-200 ALA PDT is not only effective but also safe for treating severe field cancerization," the researchers wrote. Despite these promising findings, the study's authors emphasize the need for further research to validate these results.
"Larger clinical trials are necessary to confirm the long-term efficacy and safety of the half-light dose protocol in diverse patient populations," they concluded.
Reference:
Naharro-Rodriguez, J., Fernández-Nieto, D., Garcia-Mouronte, E., Pérez-González, L. A., Dominguez-Lopez, R. M., & Fernandez-Guarino, M. Efficacy of BF-200 ALA PDT with half- versus full-light dose in treating actinic keratosis with large field cancerization. International Journal of Dermatology. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijd.17431
