Photodynamic Therapy

What is Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)?

Photodynamic Therapy is a safe and effective non-surgical method for the management of actinic keratoses (sunspots) and certain superficial skin cancers.

Photodynamic Therapy involves the application of a specialised cream to your skin cancer followed by light activation of the cream which results in the death of the skin cancer cells without affecting the normal skin cells.

What is involved in Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Treatment?

A skin biopsy is required prior to treating any lesion so as to confirm the diagnosis and to make sure that the lesion is the correct thickness to respond to the treatment.

The treatment itself involves the application of a cream (such as Metvix®) to a skin cancer followed by light activation of the cream which results in the death of the skin cancer cells. The cream is metabolised better by skin cancer cells than normal skin cells and removes the skin cancer without harming normal skin.

This therapy has been found to have high cure rates for superficial basal cell carcinoma’s and Bowen’s disease (squamous cell carcinoma in situ).