Photodynamic therapy for refractory erosive oral lichen planus: a case series study

• Published in: Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology Vol. 137; no. 3; pp. e41 - e44
• Main Authors: Ming, Jieyu, Yang, Zhixin, Wang, Tianqing, Wang, Jiongke, Zeng, Xin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2024
• Subjects: Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Aminolevulinic Acid - therapeutic use; Humans; Lichen Planus - chemically induced; Lichen Planus - drug therapy; Lichen Planus, Oral - drug therapy; Lichen Planus, Oral - pathology; Photochemotherapy - adverse effects; Treatment Outcome
• ISSN: 2212-4403; 2212-4411; 2212-4411
• DOI: 10.1016/j.oooo.2023.11.013

Oral lichen planus is a chronic inflammatory disease that occurs on the oral mucosa and is an oral potentially malignant disease. Treatment of oral lichen planus aims to promote healing of the erosion, relieve pain, reduce recurrence of the erosion, and prevent canceration. Corticosteroids are the first line of treatment for oral lichen planus. Refractory oral lichen planus is a clinical classification of oral lichen planus that has not responded to corticosteroid treatment for more than 2 months. Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy is an innovative and effective treatment for potentially malignant oral diseases and has been reported as an alternative treatment to conventional therapies for oral lichen planus. On this basis, we report 3 cases of refractory erosive oral lichen planus in which persistent erosive lesions healed after topical application of 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy without any adverse effects or any signs of recurrence. Topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy will become an effective clinical treatment for refractory erosive oral lichen planus.