Study: Photodynamic Therapy Usage Shifts With Season, Geography

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Photodynamic therapy (PDT) claims peaked during cooler months and declined in warmer seasons, especially in areas with distinct seasonal changes, according to a recent analysis.

• Cryosurgery usage was stable year-round and was not affected by climate or season.

• Findings suggest external factors like photosensitivity risk or patient behavior may influence PDT timing.

Seasonal and geographic variation influences the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for actinic keratoses (AKs), according to a large cross-sectional study.

Reasearchers analyzed over 79 million procedural claims from 2015 to 2022, extracting and analyzing U.S. medical procedural claims data from both commercial and Medicare payers using CPT and HCPCS codes.

According to the analysis results, seasonal patterns in PDT usage persisted even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cryosurgery showed no comparable fluctuation. The authors pointed out that the reasons for these patterns are speculative but could involve concerns about post-procedural photosensitivity, which potentially deters patients from scheduling PDT during sunnier months. Provider availability and patient demand might shift seasonally.

“To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence of PDT seasonal usage patterns across the nation,” the authors wrote. “This pattern could be attributed to several factors and the findings could serve as a learning opportunity for clinicians to reevaluate their approach in treating AKs.”

Source: Merritt D, et al. Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2026;19(1):41–46.