Blue light photodynamic therapy with 5-aminolevulinic acid in refractory mycosis fungoides: A prospective, open-label study

Light-responsive antibacterial dissolving microneedles loaded with 5-aminolevulinic acid and silver nanoparticles for the treatment of acne

Acne is a chronic inflammatory disease of pilosebaceous unit, which can be aggravated by hyperkeratosis of the pilosebaceous unit, excessive secretion of sebum and the proliferation of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes). Traditional drug treatment methods commonly exhibit drawbacks, including bacterial resistance and poor transdermal permeability, resulting in suboptimal efficacy and recurrent infections. Herein, we designed a dual drug-loaded microneedles patch to deliver ALA and silver nanoparticles for acne treatment. The comprehensive treatment of acne is achieved by utilizing the safe and efficient advantages of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) photodynamic therapy (PDT), coupled with the superior antibacterial properties of silver nanoparticles. To enhance drug permeability, dissolving microneedles (DMNs) are employed for targeted and efficient drug delivery. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that DMNs loaded with both AgNPs and ALA-PDT (ALA/AgNPs@DMNs) have significant antibacterial activity, along with superior drug loading capacity and penetration. The application of ALA/AgNPs@DMNs in treating acne-affected rats alleviates excessive epidermal keratinization, effectively inhibits bacterial growth, and significantly improves acne symptoms. This suggests that the "dissolving microneedle" formulation holds promise for the treatment and management of acne.

Advances in the pharmacological management of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

INTRODUCTION

Current treatment guidelines for cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) advocate a stage-driven approach, considering clinical presentation, symptom burden, and patient comorbidities. Therapy selection hinges on factors like disease subtype, severity, and treatment availability. The primary goal is to enhance the quality of life by mitigating symptoms, as achieving lasting complete remission is infrequent.

AREAS COVERED

Over the past decade (2013-2023), the therapeutic landscape of CTCL has experienced substantial transformation with the introduction of innovative therapies. This review explores the main pivotal developments in traditional treatment schedules and recently introduced drugs, aiming to offer clinicians and researchers a thorough perspective on the decade's progress in the field.

EXPERT OPINION

Despite the progress made in CTCL therapeutics, ranging from topical chemotherapeutics to immunomodulatory agents, several unmet needs persist. Firstly, there is a pressing need for the incorporation of readily available predictors for treatment response, encompassing clinical, pathological, and molecular features. Secondly, a more profound comprehension of the tumor microenvironment is imperative to optimize the landscape of targetable molecules. Lastly, the undertaking of studies on combination regimens should be encouraged as it enhances therapy efficacies by synergistically combining agents with diverse modes of action.

A Review of the Dermatologic Clinical Applications of Topical Photodynamic Therapy

Topical photodynamic therapy is a widely approved therapy for actinic keratoses and low-risk nonmelanoma skin cancers with a rapidly growing range of emerging indications for other cutaneous diseases. This review summarizes the best-available evidence to provide a clinical update for dermatologists on the approved and emerging indications of photodynamic therapy. The body of evidence suggests that photodynamic therapy is superior or noninferior to other available treatment modalities for actinic keratoses, low-risk basal cell carcinomas, Bowen's disease, skin field cancerization, chemoprevention of keratinocyte carcinomas in organ transplant recipients, photoaging, acne vulgaris, and cutaneous infections including verrucae, onychomycosis, and cutaneous leishmaniasis. There is emerging evidence that photodynamic therapy plays a role in the management of actinic cheilitis, early-stage mycosis fungoides, extramammary Paget disease, lichen sclerosis, and folliculitis decalvans but there are no comparative studies with other active treatment modalities. Common barriers to topical photodynamic therapy include procedural pain, costs, and the time required for treatment delivery. There is significant heterogeneity in the photodynamic therapy protocols reported in the literature, including different photosensitizers, light sources, number of treatments, time between treatments, and use of procedural analgesia. Topical photodynamic therapy should be considered in the management of a spectrum of inflammatory, neoplastic, and infectious dermatoses. However, more comparative research is required to determine its role in the treatment algorithm for these dermatologic conditions and more methodological research is required to optimize photodynamic therapy protocols to improve the tolerability of the procedure for patients.

EORTC consensus recommendations for the treatment of mycosis fungoides/Sézary syndrome - Update 2023

On behalf of the EORTC Cutaneous Lymphoma Tumours Group (EORTC-CLTG) and following up on earlier versions published in 2006 and 2017 this document provides an updated standard for the treatment of mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome (MF/SS). It considers recent relevant publications and treatment options introduced into clinical practice after 2017. Consensus was established among the authors through a series of consecutive consultations in writing and a round of discussion. Treatment options are assigned to each disease stage and, whenever possible and clinically useful, separated into first- and second line options annotated with levels of evidence. Major changes to the previous version include the incorporation of chlormethine, brentuximab vedotin, and mogamulizumab, recommendations on the use of pegylated interferon α (after withdrawal of recombinant unpegylated interferons), and the addition of paragraphs on supportive therapy and on the care of older patients. Still, skin-directed therapies are the most appropriate option for early-stage MF and most patients have a normal life expectancy but may suffer morbidity and impaired quality of life. In advanced disease treatment options have expanded recently. Most patients receive multiple consecutive therapies with treatments often having a relatively short duration of response. For those patients prognosis is still poor and only for a highly selected subset long term remission can be achieved with allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Understanding of the disease, its epidemiology and clinical course, and its most appropriate management are gradually advancing, and there is well-founded hope that this will lead to further improvements in the care of patients with MF/SS.

New developments in skin-directed treatments of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

The therapeutic approach for mycosis fungoides, the most common type of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, is based mainly on the stage of the disease, and skin-directed treatment is recommended by all international guidelines as the first-line treatment in early-stage disease. Skin-directed treatments may be also given in combination with systemic therapies in early-stage mycosis fungoides patients recalcitrant to different types of skin-directed treatments, or in certain patients with high-risk features. Advanced-stage mycosis fungoides is treated mainly with systemic treatments, which may be combined with skin-directed treatments. Due to the rarity of mycosis fungoides, controlled clinical trials of the different skin-directed treatment modalities are almost non-existent, with a few exceptions, and therefore recommendations are largely based on cohort studies and expert opinion. This paper reviews the new developments in skin-directed treatments and provides an update on new studies of already well-known therapies, and an update on novel treatments.