Pulsed Dye Laser Treatment is Associated With Decreased Development of Subsequent Keratinocyte Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND

Keratinocyte carcinomas (KCs) are the most common cancers in the United States. Despite existing preventative strategies, their incidence continues to rise, highlighting a need for better intervention. The pulsed dye laser (PDL) has a myriad of medical indications but has not been studied in skin cancer prevention.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of PDL treatment on subsequent facial KC development.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients with a history of facial KC who received treatment at the Dermatology Laser and Cosmetic Center at Massachusetts General Hospital between 2000 and 2024.

RESULTS

Fifty-nine patients with a history of facial KC who received PDL treatment and 59 matched controls met inclusion criteria for the study. Subsequent facial KC was observed in 27.1% of PDL-treated patients, compared with 54.2% of controls (RR 0.50, p = .0047). After adjusting for age, sex, and skin type, control subjects remained at a higher risk for developing new facial KC compared with PDL-treated patients (HR 2.88, p = .0008).

CONCLUSION

These data suggest a potential association between PDL treatment and a reduced rate of subsequent facial KC development in patients with a history of KC.