Journal de recherche clinique et expérimentale en dermatologie
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Long-Term Efficacy of a New Medical Device Containing Fernblock^® and DNA Repair Enzyme Complex in the Treatment and Prevention of Cancerization Field in Patients with Actinic Keratosis

Blanca de Unamuno Bustos*, Natalia Chaparro Aguilera, Inmaculada Azorin Garcia, Anaid Calle Andrino, Margarita Llavador Ros, Regina Rodrigo, Maria Vitale, Salvador Gonzalez, Rafael Botella Estrada

Introduction: Actinic keratosis (AKs) are part of the cancerization field, a region adjacent to AKs containing subclinical and histologically abnormal epidermal tissue due to Ultraviolet (UV)-induced DNA damage. The photoproducts, “as consequence of DNA damage induced by UV”, are mainly cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). Fernblock^® demonstrated in previous studies significant reduction of the number of CPDs induced by UV radiation. Photolyases are a specific group of enzymes that remove the major UV-induced DNA lesions by a mechanism called photo-reactivation.

Methods: A monocentric, prospective, controlled, and double blind interventional study was performed to evaluate the effect of a new medical device (NMD) containing a DNA-repair enzyme complex (photolyases, endonucleases and glycosilases), a combination of UV-filters, and Fernblock^® in the treatment of the cancerization field in 30 AK patients after photodynamic therapy (PDT). Patients were randomized into two groups: patients receiving a standard sunscreen (SS) and patients receiving the NMD. Clinical, dermoscopic, reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM) and histological evaluations were performed.

Results: An increase of AKs was noted in all groups after three months of PDT without significant differences between them (p=0.476). A significant increase in the number of AKs was observed in SS group after six (p=0.026) and twelve months of PDT (p=0.038); however, this increase did not reach statistical significance in the NMD group. Regarding RCM evaluation, honeycomb pattern assessment after twelve months of PDT showed significant differences in the extension and grade of the atypia in the NMD group compared to SS group (p=0.030 and p=0.026, respectively). Concerning histopathological evaluation, keratinocyte atypia grade improved from baseline to six months after PDT in all the groups, with no statistically significant differences between the groups. Twelve months after PDT, p53 expression was significantly lower in the NMD group compared to SS group (p=0.028). The product was well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events reported.

Conclusion: Our results provide evidence of the utility of this NMD in the improvement of the cancerization field and in the prevention of the development of new AKs.