Quantitative approach to skin field cancerization using a nanoencapsulated photodynamic therapy agent: a pilot study.

Background: This paper introduces a new nanoformulation of 5-aminolevulinic acid (nano-ALA) as well as a novel quantitative approach towards evaluating field cancerization for actinic keratosis and/or skin photodamage. In this pilot study, we evaluated field cancerization using nano-ALA and methyl aminolevulinate (MAL), the latter being commercialized as Metvix(®).

Methods And Results: Photodynamic therapy was used for the treatment of patients with selected skin lesions, whereas the fluorescence of the corresponding photosensitizer was used to evaluate the time evolution of field cancerization in a quantitative way.