title: Esophagopleural fistula: a complication of photodynamic therapy.
abstract: Mesothelioma of the pleura remains an incurable disease for which novel treatments are being investigated. One of these is intraoperative photodynamic therapy (PDT), using the principle of cell cytotoxicity produced by light-activated sensitization. We report a complication of this therapy that defined the maximal tolerated dose of PDT, ie, esophagopleural fistula, in two consecutive patients who had received the same dose of PDT at the time of extrapleural pneumonectomy.
authors.affiliation: Surgery Branch, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Md 20892.
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Temeck
authors.forename: H I
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Pass
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004937:Esophageal Fistula / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010995:Pleural Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D011013:Pneumonectomy