Photodynamic therapy with chlorin e(6) for skin metastases of melanoma.
BACKGROUND
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been successfully applied in clinical settings to destroy neoplasms, but the efficacy of such a treatment is dependent on the type of neoplasm and the photosynthesizer used. Here, we perform a clinical assessment of PDT for skin metastases of pigmented melanoma using chlorin e(6).


METHODS
PDT with chlorin e(6) photosensitizer was administered to 14 patients with skin metastases from melanoma (10 females, four males, mean age 49.6 years). Chlorin e(6) at a dose of 5 mg/kg of patient's weight was intravenously injected. The treatment course consisted of two courses of PDT exposure 1 h after intravenous chlorin e(6) injection and 24 h post-injection. The light energy density for each skin tumor was 80-120 J/cm(2) per treatment, with a light power density of 250-300 mW/cm(2).


RESULTS
All skin melanoma metastases that received PDT showed complete regression with no recurrence during the study period. The complete response of all skin metastases from melanoma occurred in eight cases after one PDT treatment. In the remaining six individuals, tumors required multiple PDT courses prior to complete regression. No cases of photodermatitis were registered. The Karnofsky performance scale score of the patients with skin metastases from melanoma showed no significant difference before and after PDT. No patients had significant changes in blood cell counts that would indicate chlorin e(6) systemic toxic effect. Blood chemistry and urinalysis did not show any evidence of chlorin e(6) renal and hepatic injury.


CONCLUSIONS
PDT with chlorin e(6) for skin metastases from melanoma is effective and well tolerated. Further clinical investigation of PDT with chlorin e(6) is warranted.
Sheleg
Sergey V
SV
Department of Chemotherapy, N.N. Alexandrov Research Institute of Oncology and Medical Radiology, P.O. Lesnoy-2, Minsk 223052, Republic of Belarus. ssheleg@tut.by
Zhavrid
Edvard A
EA
Khodina
Tatsiana V
TV
Kochubeev
Georgy A
GA
Istomin
Yury P
YP
Chalov
Vadim N
VN
Zhuravkin
Ivan N
IN
D002735:Chlorophyllides; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D011166:Porphyrins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*
D002735:Chlorophyllides; D011166:Porphyrins; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; C062985:phytochlorin