Photodynamic therapy with meta-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin for basal cell carcinoma: a phase I/II study.
BACKGROUND
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a convenient and effective method of treating small superficial tumours. New second-generation photosensitizers offer some advantages over first-generation sensitizers such as haematoporphyrin derivatives.


OBJECTIVE
To define the optimal treatment parameters (drug dose, light dose and time interval) using meta-tetrahydroxyphenylchlorin (mTHPC) as a photosensitizer in patients with multiple basal cell carcinomas (BCCs).


METHODS
Light of 652 nm (100 mW cm(-2)) was used for illuminating different tumours (n = 187) with light doses of 5--15 J cm(-2). Following an intravenous injection of 0.1 mg kg(-1) mTHPC each patient (n = 5) was illuminated on 4 consecutive days. Each day at least three BCCs per patient were treated with PDT.


RESULTS
Response evaluation at 6, 12 and 18 months showed maximum responses for illumination with 10 or 15 J cm(-2) on days 1 or 2 after injection (86% complete responses). Normal tissue reactions (oedema and erythema) around the treatment site were more severe on day 1 than after longer intervals.


CONCLUSIONS
mTHPC is a very effective photosensitizer; short illumination times can result in long-term cures with good cosmetic healing and with skin phototoxicity of short duration.
Baas
P
P
Division of Medical Oncology, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands. baas@nki.nl
Saarnak
A E
AE
Oppelaar
H
H
Neering
H
H
Stewart
F A
FA
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008652:Mesoporphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D008652:Mesoporphyrins; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; C072269:temoporfin