Objective To evaluate the therapeutic effect of 5-aminolevulinic acid mediated photody-namic therapy(ALA-PDT)in combination with recombinant human interferon alpha 2b ointment on superficial basal cell carcinoma(BCC)in elderly.Methods A total of 143 elderly patients with superficial BCC was ran-domly divided into PDT group(n=72 cases)and the surgical group(n=71 cases).The patients in the two groups were given the ALA-PDT in combination with IFN-α2b and routine surgical treatment respectively .The effica-cy after treatment was observed according to surgical wound area , lesion area , recurrence and security during 1 year follow-up.Results The results displayed the complete remission rate of lesion in the PDT group was sig-nificantly higher than that in the surgical group (81.94%vs.57.75%,P<0.05)after treatment,and the total ef-fective rate of BCC was also higher than that in the surgical group ,but no significant difference was identified in the two groups(91.66%vs.81.73%,P>0.05).During 1 year follow-up after treatment,the results showed the rate of recurrence in the PDT group was significantly lower than that in the surgical group (9.72% vs.22. 54%,P<0.05).Moreover,the mean wound area,the lesion area in the PDT group after treatment were also sig-nificantly smaller than that in the surgical group (P<0.05).Conclusion ALA-PDT in combination with IFN is an effective method with lower recurrence and minor trauma in the treatment of superficial basal cell carcino -ma.