Non-surgical Basal Cell Carcinoma Treatment
An effective and non-surgical treatment for basal cell Carcinoma (BCC’s), a form of non-melanoma skin cancers that are located on areas of the skin exposed to the sun.
What are Basal Cell Carcinomas?
Basal cell skin cancer is the most common type of skin cancer. About 75 out of every 100 cases (75%) of non-melanoma skin cancers diagnosed are this type.
Basal Cell Carcinomas develop mostly in areas of skin exposed to the sun. These areas include parts of the face such as the nose, forehead and cheeks. However, Basal Cell Carcinomas can develop on your back or lower legs.
Traditionally it is most often diagnosed in people in middle or old age, but is increasingly common in those in their late thirties and early forties due to sunbed use.
Early Diagnosis
According to Cancer Research UK Basal cell carcinoma affects about 100,000 people in the UK.
The vast majority of people are diagnosed at a relatively early stage because they often appear in cosmetically noticeable areas such as on the face or nose.
Whilst surgery is a highly effective treatment, increasing numbers of people are seeking alternatives to avoid the significant scarring from surgery, skin grafts or reconstructive procedures.
Non-surgical Basal Cell Carcinoma Treatments
At Fairfield Independent Hospital we provide a variety of non-surgical treatments for Basal Cell Carcinoma’s that can avoid surgery, and minimise scarring associated with surgical treatments, including:
(1) Photodynamic Therapy
Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) has been shown to be a highly effective treatment that does not harm healthy skin. The main benefits of PDT are:
- Minimal to no Scarring
- Effective
- Repeatable
- Useful for difficult areas (e.g. widely spread, and/or located on the face)
- No Anaesthetic
- Approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
For some lesions, the addition of laser treatment ensures effective cure, minimises chances of recurrence, and maximises the cosmetic outcome.
Photodynamic Therapy may require up to two sessions depending on the problem, occasionally a combination of laser treatment, as well as PDT, may be more clinically appropriate, where only one session is required.
(2) Laser treatment with or without PDT
Ablative CO2 laser treatment is a safe and non-surgical alternative method of removing non-melanoma skin cancers and other skin lesions like Bowden’s disease.
This procedure instantly removes the lesion without any surgical intervention in approximately 20 minutes.
The benefits of our laser treatment service are:
- Avoids surgery and surgical scars
- Expert diagnosis as well as treatment
- Aim to remove lesions without a trace
- Is able to remove numerous lesions at the same time
- Affordable
Ablative CO2 laser treatment with PDT usually only requires one session compared to PDT alone may require two.
Expert Care
Both treatments are delivered by Professor Kayvan Shokrollahi, a leading Consultant Burns, Plastic and Laser surgeon who has international expertise in assessment and delivering laser treatments with a strong focus on safety and natural results.
Most importantly, he is able to provide the highest level of diagnosis and guidance, as well as treatment, to ensure you have the correct and appropriate treatment for your condition.
Guide Price
If you have a health insurance policy, it is likely that your insurance company will cover the cost of your treatment but please check with your insurer first.
If you don’t have health insurance, you can simply choose to pay for a one-off private treatment and fund it yourself.
Photodynamic Guide Prices
| Service | Price |
| Per Session | From |
| Initial Consultation | £190 |
| Ablative CO2 laser treatment | £490 |
| Photodynamic Therapy | £725 |
| C02 Laser + Photodynamic Therapy | £1400 |
| Photodynamic Therapy x 2 Sessions | £1450 |
| Histology | +£150 |
For more information regarding the costs please call our business office on 01744 746407 or email enquiries@fairfield.org.uk.
How to make an appointment
To book your consultation please contact us on 01744 746425 or email enquiries@fairfield.org.uk
Your initial consultation is with the consultant who will be carrying out your procedure – not a nurse or a salesperson.
The consultant and the team will be with you every step of the way from your initial consultation throughout your procedure to aftercare and follow up appointment providing you with up-to-date information.
FAQ
Can the PDT treat all types of Skin cancers?
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a highly effective treatment for certain types of non-melanoma skin cancers and pre-cancerous skin conditions, including:
This treatment is not appropriate for melanoma skin cancers (abnormal moles) or Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). For information about melanoma skin cancers, or if you are concerned about your skin you should speak to your GP.
How does Photodynamic Therapy work?
The consultant will prepare the skin around the lesion to loosen and remove any crust or debris.
Light sensitive cream will be applied to the lesion and the surrounding area and a dressing will be applied over the top.
After 3 hours, a specially designed red light lamp will be positioned above the lesion and left for 8-10 minutes.
How many treatments do I need to have?
The aim of the treatment is to cure the skin cancer but minimise any cosmetic problem or scarring. Surgery in cosmetically sensitive areas such as the face or nose can leave significant scars including the requirement for skin grafts or reconstructive surgery.
To avoid surgery, one PDT session will treat pre-cancerous skin lesions. However, depending on the size, shape and type of the lesion two treatments or combined laser treatment at the same time as PDT may be clinically required.
For example, Basal-Cell Carcinomas usually requires two sessions of PDT or PDT with the addition of laser treatment in one session.
Professor Kayvan Shokrollahi will be able to discuss this further in the initial consultation.
How long does the treatment take?
The cream should stay on the lesion for 3 hours. This is important as it helps the cream to be absorbed into the abnormal cells.
Patients can either wait in one of our private rooms or choose to go home and return for the red light treatment.
The red light treatment lasts for 8-10 minutes.
What will the area look like after my treatment?
Only the abnormal cells are treated resulting in minimal or no scarring. The area may crust for a week or so.
Are there any damaging long-term effects?
Unlike treatments such as Radiotherapy, PDT actually replenishes the healthy cells and removes damaged cells and pre-cancerous cells in the area of treatment.
The abnormal cells are treated without causing cell damage to surrounding areas.
External Patient Information Links
British Association of Dermatologists – Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC)
British Skin Foundation – What is Basal Cell Carcinoma?
Cancer Research UK – Basal and Squamous Cell Skin Cancer Pictures
Throughout our site you will find links to external websites. Although we make every effort to ensure these links are accurate, up to date and relevant, Fairfield Independent Hospital cannot take responsibility for pages maintained by external providers.
If you come across any external links that don’t work, we would be grateful if you could contact us on enquiries@fairfield.org.uk
The information on this page is for reference only and has been reviewed by appropriate medical or clinical professionals. The information contained on this page should not be a substitute for professional medical advice nor is it intended to be for medical diagnosis or treatment.