Treatment of Basal Cell Carcinoma With PDL and Nd:YAG Lasers: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Laser-based therapies, including pulsed dye laser (PDL) and neodymium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser, have emerged as nonsurgical alternatives for the treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), particularly in patients unsuitable for surgery. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this systematic review was to summarize the laser settings and outcomes of PDL and Nd:YAG laser for the treatment of BCC. METHODS: PubMed, Cochrane, and EMBASE databases were searched, and studies reporting original outcome data on PDL and Nd:YAG laser treatments of BCCs were included. RESULTS: Of 670 articles, 28 met inclusion criteria. Nd:YAG laser therapy demonstrates a histologic clearance rate of 95% (157/167 BCCs) and clinical clearance rate of 95% (813/857 BCCs). PDL laser therapy demonstrates a histologic clearance rate of 64% (104/163 BCCs) and clinical clearance rate of 90% (863/958 BCCs). Frequently used laser settings are summarized with descriptive statistics. CONCLUSION: Nd:YAG laser and PDL may be considered as nonsurgical treatment options for low-risk BCC. Further studies are needed to optimize protocols and assess long-term outcomes.