3
Oncologists of RUDN offered safe means for treatment of a bazalno-cellular cancer of skin

Oncologists of RUDN offered safe means for treatment of a bazalno-cellular cancer of skin

RUDN physicians offered new means for treatment of a bazalno-cellular cancer. Doctors conducted research with use of the photodynamic therapy mediated by 5-aminolevulinovy acid in the preparation “Levulon”. Therapy showed excellent result: patients safely and almost without serious consequences got rid of oncology.

More than 2.5 million cases of basal cell carcinoma are registered annually in the world. At the same time, traditional approaches to the treatment of this disease, such as surgical or radiation therapy may be unsuitable if concomitant diseases weaken the patient. In addition, if the neoplasm is located on visible parts of the body, the use of these approaches is undesirable from a cosmetic point of view. Photodynamic therapy with the help of the Russian medicine “Levulon” allowed patients to get rid of oncology without leaving noticeable skin damage.

“Aminolevulinic acid is widely used for fluorescence diagnostics and photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic therapy with 5-aminolevulinic acid is a common approach to the treatment of malignant tumors, including basal cell carcinoma. The purpose of this study was to study the safety and effectiveness of photodynamic therapy mediated by 5-aminolevulinic acid of the drug ‘Levulon’ among patients with basal cell carcinoma,” — Andrey Kaprin, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Head of the Department of Urology and Operative Nephrology of RUDN Medical Institute

5-aminolevulinic acid is a metabolic precursor of porphyrins, compounds from which heme are subsequently formed, participating in the transport of oxygen in the hemoglobin of the blood. In addition, porphyrins belong to the class of photosensitizers — substances that can change the sensitivity of tissue to light. When 5-aminolevulinic acid is applied to the affected area, it selectively accumulates in tumor cells and is metabolized into porphyrins, which, under the influence of laser radiation, cause the accumulation of reactive oxygen species that destroy tumor cells.

During the study, the Russian medicine “Levulon” was tested on a sample of 15 men and 67 women. 119 tumors on the head, neck, trunk and limbs of patients were treated. Physicians confirmed the diagnosis by cytological methods and ultrasound analysis. Before using the drug, the keratinized layer was scraped off each tumor, after which a gel was applied and the entire area was covered with an opaque moisture-resistant material. After three hours of incubation, RUDN oncologists conducted a photodynamic therapy session using laser radiation with a wavelength of 630 nm with a repeat therapy session after four weeks and a subsequent assessment of the tumor condition. Patient survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meyer curves after one year and three years.

Photodynamic therapy was performed after the administration of anti-inflammatory drugs, while all patients experienced minor or moderate pain. Three months later, in 96% of cases, tumor necrosis was observed with a brilliant cosmetic effect — the absence of scars and tissue defects. At the same time, five patients with a partial response to treatment underwent another session of photodynamic therapy with intravenous administration of another photosensitizer. New foci of basal cell carcinoma after treatment were diagnosed in only three patients. They underwent repeated photodynamic therapy using “Levulon” gel.

The analysis of survival in the group of patients with a complete response to treatment showed that one year after therapy, the survival rate was 92.1%, and three years later — 88.3%. When comparing the results of photodynamic therapy with “Levulon” in patients with primary and recurrent tumors, the survival rates were as follows: one year — 96.4% vs. 77.8%, three years — 91.6% vs. 77.8%.

According to the results of the study, photodynamic therapy using Levulon in patients with superficial basal cell skin cancer is effective and safe,” — concludes Andrey Kaprin.

The results of the study were published in Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic Therapy.

International Projects View all
Main Publications View all
15 Nov 2017
RUDN University scientists publish results of their scientific researches in highly-recognized in whole world and indexed in international databases journals (Web of Science, Scopus ect.). That, of course, corresponds to the high status of the University and its international recognition. Publications of June-September 2017 ( In Journals of categories Q1-Q3)
2919
Similar newsletter View all
21 Apr
Building a sustainable future: what are SDGs and how RUDN helps achieve them

Imagine a world where everyone has enough food, clean water, access to education, and decent work. A world where nature is protected and the future of our planet is cared for. These are the Sustainable Development Goals—to achieve a sustainable future for all! To this end, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a global plan that helps countries and people work together towards a better future. All 193 UN member states have joined the plan.

61
21 Apr
Unfounded generalizations and false conclusions: RUDN scientists have identified AI “hallucinations” in the diagnosis of mental disorders

Researchers from the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence at RUDN University conducted a large-scale study that revealed systemic errors in large language models (LLMs) when diagnosing depression based on text. This work, carried out in collaboration with colleagues from AIRI, Federal Research Center “Computer Science and Control” of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Ivannikov Institute for System Programming of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and MBZUAI, not only identifies the problem but also lays the foundation for the creation of more reliable and secure tools for detecting depression and anxiety.

53
21 Apr
Rats and neurodegenerative processes: a junior researcher at RUDN University wins Academician A. P. Avtsyn Award

Alexandra Sentyabreva, a junior researcher at the Laboratory of Cell Technologies and Tissue Engineering at RUDN Research Institute of Molecular and Cellular Medicine at the Russian University of People's Friendship, won the competition for young scientists at the All-Russian Scientific Conference “Topical Issues of Morphogenesis in Norm and Pathology.” She was awarded the Academician A.P. Avtsyn Prize.

46
Similar newsletter View all