Photodynamic Therapy Using Aminolevulinic Acid in Treating Patients With Skin Cancer

• Status: Unknown status
• Trial end date: 1969-12-31
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

RATIONALE: Photodynamic therapy uses a drug that becomes active when it is exposed to a certain kind of light. When the drug is active, tumor cells are killed. This may be an effective treatment against skin cancer.

PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying the side effects of photodynamic therapy using aminolevulinic acid and to see how well it works in treating patients with skin cancer.

• Phase: Phase 2
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York
• Treatments: Aminolevulinic Acid

Criteria

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:

• Biopsy-proven basal cell carcinoma on the trunk or extremities

• Tumor size ≤ 2 cm in diameter

PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:

• Willing and able to comply with all follow-up requirements

• Mentally competent

• No active, localized, or systemic infections

• Not immunocompromised

• No coagulation disorder

• No photosensitivity or allergy to sunlight

• Not pregnant or nursing

• No history of keloid formation

• No history of cutaneous photosensitization, porphyria, hypersensitivity to porphyrins, or photodermatosis

PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:

• No prior gold therapy

• No prior radiotherapy to the trunk and extremities

• More than 24 months since prior oral retinoids (e.g., isotretinoin or acitretin) or photosensitizing drugs (e.g., Declomycin®)

• More than 1 year since prior collagen or other injections, Botox® injections, chemical peels, dermabrasion, or resurfacing procedures

• More than 1 month since prior topical retinoid therapy

• No concurrent aspirin or antioxidants

• No concurrent anticoagulation medications