A case of actinic cheilitis treated by topical photodynamic therapy with methyl aminolevulinate

Actinie cheilitis is a pathologic condition affecting mainly the lower lip caused by long term exposure of the lips to UV radiation in sunlight. Analogous to actinic keratosis of the skin, actinic cheilitis is considered as a precancerous lesion and may develop into squamous cell carcinoma. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment modality involving the use of a photosensitizing agent, oxygen, and light of a specific wavelength to produce controlled cell death. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using the new highly selective photosensitizer methyl aminolevulinate (MAL) (Metvix®, Galderma, U.K.) is a promising new treatment modality for premalignant and malignant skin lesions. We report a case of actinic cheilitis treated with PDT using MAL, with satisfactory outcome in both clinical and pathological aspects.