The purpose of this study is to compare two different therapies for actinic keratoses in organ transplant recipients with regard to efficacy and tolerability. The investiagtors are planning to examine treatment with Imiquimod 5% cream versus treatment with Methyl-aminolaevulinate 16% cream and subsequent irradiation with red light, so-called photodynamic therapy, in this patients' group. A secondary objective of our study is to investigate the reduction in the field cancerisation after both treatments using fluorescence diagnostic method and digital imaging.
Organ transplant patients (OTP) require lifelong immunosuppressive therapy and consequently are prone to develop skin tumors, i.e skin cancer is the most frequent malignancy in organ transplant recipients. OTP frequently develop extensive areas of actinic damage, epidermal dysplasia, wich accounts for increased risk of aggressive skin cancer development in susceptible patients, and are referred to as "field cancerisation". Therefore the whole area of field cancerisation has to be treated. In our study we will treat this areas with two different methods and not only the single visible lesions of actinic keratoses.In this open prospective randomized intraindividual study one half of the patients' scalp or face will be treated with Imiquimod 5% cream for 4 weeks, 3 times a week, and the other half with Methyl-aminolaevulinate 16% cream photodynamic therapy, two applications in two weeks interval. The pre- and post treatment extension of field cancerisation will be assessed by means of a highly sensitive digital fluorescence imaging system.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
10
Methyl-aminolaevulinate 16% cream (Metvix) will be applied on the treated area under occlusion for 3 hours. It follows irradiation with visible red light at a peak wavelength of 630 nm (Actilite CL128) with a single dose of 37 J/cm2.
250 mg imiquimod 5% cream will be applied over night for a total of 3 nights in the week, for duration of 4 weeks
Medical University of Vienna, University Clinic of Dermatology
Vienna, Austria
Medical University of Vienna
Vienna, Austria
Clinical complete response rate of actinic keratoses
The clinical complete response rate of actinic keratoses is defined as a proportion of the number of actinic keratoses with a clinically determined complete clearance(no visible and/or palpable actinic keratoses) to the number of the actinic keratoses at baseline.
Time frame: 4 weeks after end of treatment
clinical complete response rate of actinic keratoses
The clinical complete response rate of actinic keratoses is defined as a proportion of the number of actinic keratoses with a clinically determined complete clearance(no visible and/or palpable actinic keratoses) to the number of the actinic keratoses at baseline.
Time frame: 6 and 12 months after end of treatment
global reduction in the area of specific fluorescence
Prior to photodynamic therapy an illumination of the treated area with a Wood light will be prepared (fluorescence diagnostik). The specific fluorescence will be detected and documented using the non-invasive fluorescence-imaging system Dyaderm, Biocam, Germany.
Time frame: 1, 6 and 12 months after end of treatment
global patient's satisfaction
The global patient's satisfaction will be determined by the patients themselves on a 10 cm visual analog scale. 0 means extremely unsatisfied, 1-3 means unsatisfied, 5-7 means moderately satisfied, 8-10 means highly satisfied.
Time frame: 3, 6 and 12 months after end of treatment
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.