Application of Photofrin II as a specific radiosensitising agent in patients with bladder cancer--a report of two cases.
BACKGROUND
The effect of ionizing radiation on tumour tissues can be optimised by adding radiosensitising agents to enhance tumour inactivation. Photofrin II has been approved as a photosensitising agent for the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of selected solid tumours. At present, no chemical modifier has been found to act as a selective radiosensitiser. We report here the first use of Photofrin II as a radiosensitising agent to enhance radiation therapy.


METHODS
Two patients, one female with unresectable bladder cancer and one male with recurrent inoperable bladder cancer, were treated with radiation therapy (44.8 Gy + 14 Gy boost) of the pelvic region. 24 hours before initiation of therapy the patients were intravenously injected with 1 mg kg(-1) Photofrin II (Axcan, Canada).


RESULTS
Magnetic resonance imaging of the pelvis with a standardized protocol demonstrated a reduction in tumour volume of approximately 40% in the female patient and 35% in the male patient. The female patient was operated upon after conclusion of radiotherapy, the male patient refused the operation. No severe side effects were observed.


CONCLUSIONS
Photofrin II is a promising radiosensitising agent in the treatment of patients with advanced solid tumours.
Schaffer
M
M
Dept. of Radiation Therapy, University of Munich, Munich, Germany. mschaffe@helios.med.uni-muenchen.de
Schaffer
P M
PM
Vogesser
M
M
Ertl-Wagner
B
B
Rauch
J
J
Oberneder
R
R
Jori
G
G
Hofstetter
A
A
Dühmke
E
E
D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017323:Dihematoporphyrin Ether / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy*
D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D017323:Dihematoporphyrin Ether