ABSTRACT
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with systemic application is effective for superficial cutaneous tumors treatment; however, this comes with the risk of prolonged skin phototoxicity. PDT based on topical application has shown promising results in the treatment of superficial skin disorders avoiding the prolonged phototoxicity. Photodynamic therapy is able to cause cell death by both necrosis and apoptosis, and due to the ease of access to the skin, it can be easily performed in the treatment of cutaneous diseases. The photosensitizers (PSs) used in PDT are chemical compounds with a chromophore agent administrated to treat skin diseases by several routes. A high number of phthalocyanines are currently available and differentiate by the modifying central metal ligand and type of side chains. Melanoma basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma belong to non-melanoma skin cancer group which is the most common skin cancer worldwide and is able to be treated with PDT.
