title: Photodynamic therapy of malignant brain tumours.
abstract: Fifty patients with malignant supratentorial tumours were treated with intra-operative photodynamic therapy (PDT); in 33 cases the tumour was recurrent. In 45 patients the tumour was a cerebral glioma and in 5 cases a solitary cerebral metastasis. All patients received a porphyrin photosensitizer 18-24 hours pre-operatively. Photoillumination was carried out at 630 nm to a tumour cavity created by radical tumour resection and/or tumour cyst drainage. The light energy density ranged from 8 to 175 J/cm2. In 8 patients additional interstitial light was administered. The operative mortality was 4%. Follow up has ranged from 1 to 30 months. The median survival for the 45 primary malignant tumours was 8.6 months with a 1 and 2 year actuarial survival rate of 32% and 18%, respectively. In 12 patients a complete or near complete CT scan response was identified post PDT. These patients tended to have a tumour geometry (eg. cystic) that allowed complete or near complete light distribution to the tumour. The median survival for this group was 17.1 months with a 1 and 2 year actuarial survival of 62% and 38%, respectively. In the 33 cases who did not have a complete response the median survival was 6.5 months with a 1 and 2 year actuarial survival of 22% and 11%, respectively. Photodynamic therapy of malignant brain tumours can be carried out with acceptable risk. Good responses appear to be related to adequate light delivery to the tumour.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Michael's Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006415:Hematoporphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007432:Intraoperative Period; D007834:Lasers; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010789:Phototherapy
chemical_list: D006415:Hematoporphyrins