Comparison of red and green light in the treatment of Bowen’s disease by photodynamic therapy

✍ Scribed by C.A. Morton; C. Whitehurst; J.V. Moore; R.M. Mackie

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 373 KB
• Volume: 143
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0007-0963
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2133.2000.03773.x

✦ Synopsis

Background:

A variety of protocols exist for the treatment of bowen's disease by photodynamic therapy (pdt) using topical 5-aminolaevulinic acid (5-ala).

Objective:

To determine the optimal wavelength (red or green light) for this treatment.

Methods:

A randomized comparison study of ala-pdt using red (630 +/- 15 nm) or green (540 +/- 15 nm) light in the treatment of bowen's disease.

Results:

The initial clearance rate for lesions treated by red light was 94% (30 of 32) in comparison with 72% (21 of 29) for those lesions receiving green light (p = 0.002). over the following 12 months, there were two recurrences in the red light group and seven in the green light group reducing the clearance rates to 88% and 48%, respectively. the frequency and severity of pain experienced were similar between the two treatment groups. no hyperthermia, nor significant difference in lesional temperatures, was observed between the wavelengths studied.

Conclusion:

Green light is less effective than red light, at a theoretically equivalent dose, in the treatment of bowen's disease by topical ala-pdt.