Non-invasive treatment of epidermal keratinocyte neoplasms

Janneke Kessels

Research output: ThesisDoctoral ThesisInternal

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Abstract

The number of skin cancer and pre-cancer diagnoses is on the rise in the Netherlands. Approximately 1.4 million Dutch people aged 50 and older have actinic keratosis (AK), or pre-cancerous skin lesions. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment method that uses a special medicinal cream and a special lamp. Our research found that laser therapy leads to fewer pain symptoms with comparable effectiveness. Laser PDT could therefore be an effective treatment option for a select group of patients for whom PDT is desired.

In the Netherlands, one in five people are diagnosed with the most common form of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma. PDT can also be used for superficial basal cell carcinoma. We researched a treatment schedule with a different cream and treatment for one instead of two days, with the goal of determining whether this schedule yielded better treatment results. Based on our findings, this schedule does indeed appear to be more effective than the standard PDT schedule currently being used.
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • Maastricht University
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Steijlen, Peter, Supervisor
  • Kelleners - Smeets, Nicole, Co-Supervisor
  • Mosterd, Klara, Co-Supervisor
Award date23 May 2018
Place of PublicationEnschede
Publisher
Print ISBNs9789462339149
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

Keywords

  • skin cancer
  • basal cell carcinoma
  • actinic keratosis
  • non-invasive treatment

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