Successful treatment of scalp Bowen's disease with 5-Aminolevulinic acid-photodynamic therapy combined with electric microneedling: A case report

ElsevierVolume 58, April 2026, 105404Photodiagnosis and Photodynamic TherapyAuthor links open overlay panel, , , , , , , Highlights•

First report of scalp Bowen’s disease successfully treated with nanoneedle-assisted PDT.

Combined electric microneedling enhanced drug delivery and photodynamic efficacy.

Complete clinical clearance achieved after five sessions with no recurrence at 18 months.

Offers a novel non-surgical option for complex, inoperable cases of Bowen’s disease.

Abstract

This case report presents a 79-year-old male with scalp Bowen's disease and multiple comorbidities, precluding surgery. An innovative combination of nano-microneedle pretreatment and 5-Aminolevulinic Acid-Photodynamic Therapy (5-ALA-PDT) was utilized. Following five sessions, complete clinical clearance was achieved, maintained over 18 months of follow-up without recurrence. This synergistic approach enhances drug delivery and light efficacy, overcoming traditional PDT penetration limits. This successful non-surgical treatment for scalp BD using microneedle-assisted PDT, provides a novel therapeutic option for complex, inoperable cases, but rerquires further clinical validation.

Keywords

Bowen's disease

Photodynamic therapy

Microneedle

© 2026 Published by Elsevier B.V.

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