Laser photodynamic therapy for bladder cancer

• Published in: Mayo Clinic proceedings Vol. 61; no. 11; p. 859
• Main Author: Benson, Jr, R C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01-11-1986
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Argon; Carcinoma in Situ - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell - drug therapy; Cystoscopy; Fiber Optic Technology; Hematoporphyrin Derivative; Hematoporphyrins - therapeutic use; Humans; Lasers; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Photochemotherapy - instrumentation; Photochemotherapy - methods; Physical Phenomena; Physics; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms - drug therapy
• ISSN: 0025-6196
• DOI: 10.1016/S0025-6196(12)62606-8

The lack of a tumor-localization aid for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder and the known cytotoxic effect of light-activated intracellular hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) prompted the initiation of a trial of HpD photodynamic therapy in patients with focal and diffuse bladder cancer. An argon-ion, pumped-dye laser was used as a source of red light. In 15 patients with focal disease and circumscribed treatment, 3-month follow-up cystoscopic examination showed disappearance of the lesions, but the subsequent recurrence rate seemed high. Therefore, whole-bladder HpD photodynamic therapy was administered to 14 patients with diffuse resistant carcinoma in situ. Three of these patients had focal recurrent disease. The only adverse effects of therapy were cutaneous photosensitivity and bladder irritability. HpD seems to be a good tumor-localizing aid for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder, and HpD photodynamic therapy effectively destroys this type of carcinoma.