Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma
Dr. Jean-Marie Parel’s contributions to ophthalmology are profound and lasting. His innovations in photodynamic therapy restored hope to patients with nevoid basal cell carcinoma by creating a mechanism of skin preservation in poor surgical candidates. Nevoid basal cell carcinoma – or Gorlin Syndrome – is a rare autosomal dominant disorder triggered by a germline mutation in PTCH1. This syndrome leaves patients at a predisposition for developing multiple basal cell carcinomas from an early age in life. As a result, patient typically have limited healthy tissue available to spare; making recurrent BCCs and surgical excisions taxing for patients. Photodynamic therapy provides these patients with a conservative option for ameliorating skin affected by small, well-circumscribed BCCs. The use of hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) as a reactive oxygen species became the bedrock for the execution of photodynamic therapy in basal cell carcinoma candidates as well as in his studies on acanthamoeba and fungal pathogens affecting the cornea. The use of photodynamic therapy has continued to expand from ophthalmology and become part of routine care guidelines in dermatology and otolaryngology in large part thanks to the dedication of Dr. Parel.
Presentation Date: 11/20/2025
Issue Date: 03/13/2026
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