PhD defence Shima Ahmady

Keywords: Actinic keratosis, Bowen’s disease, Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma, 5-fluorouracil

"lntraepidermal Keratinocyte Neoplasms Evaluation of Treatment and Care"

This thesis investigated how actinic keratosis and Bowen’s disease can be treated most effectively. Both are abnormalities of the outer layer of the skin, mainly caused by long-term sun exposure, and may in some cases develop into skin cancer. The research showed that, in actinic keratosis, patients with thicker and more severe lesions have a higher risk of developing skin cancer. This may help tailor treatment and follow-up more closely to an individual patient’s risk. The thesis also examined quality of life and skin reactions during treatment. For Bowen’s disease, 5-fluorouracil cream was shown to be a good alternative to surgery. It provided good short- and long-term results, with better cosmetic outcomes and lower costs. The thesis also investigated what patients value when choosing a treatment. Overall, the findings support a more personalized approach in which effectiveness, side effects, cosmetic outcome, costs and patient preferences are considered together when choosing treatment.

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