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Arisi M, Soglia S, Guasco Pisani E, Venturuzzo A, Gelmetti A, Tomasi C, Zane C, Rossi M, Lorenzi L, Calzavara-Pinton P. Cold Atmospheric Plasma (CAP) for the Treatment of Actinic Keratosis and Skin Field Cancerization: Clinical and High-Frequency Ultrasound Evaluation. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb) 2021; 11:855-866. [PMID: 33738749 PMCID: PMC8163902 DOI: 10.1007/s13555-021-00514-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has been clinically demonstrated to be an effective treatment for actinic keratosis (AK) in a number of case series. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of CAP in the treatment of multiple AKs and assessed morphological changes induced on the skin field of cancerization both clinically and by high-frequency ultrasound (HFUS). METHODS Patients with multiple grade I-II AKs of the scalp and/or face who were resistant or intolerant to conventional field-directed treatments were enrolled. CAP treatments were performed using a microwave-driven argon plasma jet. At baseline and 3 months after the last CAP session, performance indexes were determined using three-dimensional digital pictures and HFUS investigations were performed on a representative Olsen grade II AK and a small spot of clinically unaffected skin within the test area. RESULTS Twelve patients were enrolled in the study. All clinical variables showed a statistically significant reduction after CAP. HFUS evaluation revealed that the total, epidermal and dermal thicknesses of the target AKs had not changed with treatment. CAP therapy significantly increased dermal density in both the target AK and the surrounding photodamaged skin and signficantly decreased the thickness of the subepidermal low-echogenic band in the perilesional skin, which is an ultrasound sign of photodamage. CONCLUSIONS Cold atmospheric plasma was found to be an effective treatment for patients with multiple AKs. CAP was not followed by skin atrophy. HFUS examiniation showed the CAP improved features of chronic photodamage of the dermis of the skin underlying and surrounding the AK spots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariachiara Arisi
- Dermatology Department, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy.
| | - Simone Soglia
- Dermatology Department, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Edoardo Guasco Pisani
- Dermatology Department, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Anna Venturuzzo
- Dermatology Department, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gelmetti
- Dermatology Department, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Cesare Tomasi
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Cristina Zane
- Dermatology Department, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Rossi
- Dermatology Department, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
| | - Luisa Lorenzi
- Department of Pathology, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Piergiacomo Calzavara-Pinton
- Dermatology Department, ASST Spedali Civili di Brescia, University of Brescia, P.le Spedali Civili 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy
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