Long-term observation in patients with oral leukoplakia treated with ALA-photodynamic therapy

Oral leukoplakia is an oral mucosal potentially malignant disease, and 5-aminolevulinic acid-photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) has been widely used in its clinical treatment, but long-term follow-up data are still scarce. 62 patients with pathologic diagnosis of oral leukoplakia were selected, and the study group was the ALA-PDT treatment group (n=30), and the control group was the traditional medication group (n=32). The data of previous medical records were reviewed and statistically analyzed. The average follow-up period of patients in two groups was 6.82±0.76 years. The difference in size of lesions before and after treatment between two groups was statistically different (p=0.013), where the area of lesions in the study group was significantly reduced (Δ=-0.85±1.69cm 2) and the area of lesions in the control group was increased (Δ=1.01±2.30cm 2) . However, there was no difference in the long-term cancer rate and the time required for cancer (p>0.05). ALA-PDT has certain clinical efficacy in the treatment of oral leukoplakia.