Photo Dynamic Therapy

Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) with Metvix® cream

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses both a drug (a photosensitizing agent) and a device (a light source that activates the drug) to cause a chemical reaction that destroys abnormal tissue.

PDT is a simple, non-invasive treatment that consists of the application of Metvix® (methyl aminolevulinate) cream to the skin lesion followed by its exposure to light from a specifically designed lamp.  Photodynamic dynamic therapy is an outpatient procedure. After the photosensitizer (Metvix cream) is applied to the patient’s skin, the patient must wait several hours (approximately 3 hours) to allow uptake of the drug into the tissue. The abnormal cells in the lesion absorb the active ingredient from the Metvix® cream. During this time the patient remains indoors to avoid photosensitization from sunlight. Once the uptake period has passed, the light is used to activate the drug. When exposed to light, a chemical reaction is activated which destroys precancerous and cancerous cells. Some skin lesions require more than one treatment session.

Two type of skin lesions can be treated with PDT: Actinic keratosis (precancerous lesions) and superficial basal cell carcinoma (common type of skin cancer).

Actinic keratosis (AK) is caused by overexposure to the sun which disrupts the normal development of the skin cells in the epidermis, the top layer of the skin. The sun’s rays damage the DNA of the skin causing it to grow at an abnormally fast rate. Left untreated, actinic keratosis has the potential to develop into skin cancer (squamous cell carcinoma).  

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer.  BCC is the least dangerous type of skin cancer, but it must be treated. Left untreated BCC will continue to grow, invade and destroy surrounding skin tissue eventually causing disfigurement.  BCC usually occurs on sun-exposed areas of the body. 

Cosmetic outcomes of  PDT are consistently reported as superior for PDT compared to other treatments (including surgery).

PDT is not indicated for the treatment of all subtypes of basal cell carcinoma or actinic keratosis. The indication and number of treatments will be determined during the consultation by the physician.

To read more about PDT procedure please click here.