595nm Pulsed Dye Laser: An Alternative to Treat Basal Cell Carcinomas

INTRODUCTION: Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cutaneous malignancy. Proffered treatment for these lesions is surgery. Based on patient’s age, drug allergies, and place of lesions, surgery may not be the best option, and alternative treatments should be considered. Pulsed dye laser (PDL) may be a good alternative therapy. The aim of the present study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of this laser in the treatment of BCCs in Iranian patients. METHODS: Patients with definite diagnosis of BCC enrolled in the study. For each patient, one lesion proved to be superficial, or nodular BCC via histopathology was treated with PDL for four sessions and after the last session, re-biopsy was done to determine any remnant of tumor. All patients were followed for 6 to 13 months to capture any recurrence of as soon as possible. RESULTS: A total of 12 patients including eight male and four female were selected. All patients completed the study in accordance to the treatment protocol. All patients cleared clinically resulting flat hypo pigmented scar, but in pathology, two patients showed remnants of tumor and were referred for surgery. No side effects, but mild erythema and irritation were noted in all patients. No recurrences were found during the follow up period. CONCLUSION: It seems that PDL may be an effective alternative therapy for some subtypes of BCCs with acceptable safety profile. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to support this opinion.