title: Interstitial photodynamic therapy as salvage treatment for recurrent head and neck cancer.
abstract: Interstitial photodynamic therapy (IPDT) is a technique for applying photodynamic therapy (PDT) to internal tumours using light delivered via fibres inserted percutaneously. This phase I-II study assessed the safety and efficacy of IPDT for patients with persistent or recurrent head and neck cancer unsuitable for further treatment with surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy, recruited for 'last hope' salvage treatment. Patients were sensitised with 0.15 mg kg(-1) mTHPC (meso-tetrahydroxyphenyl chlorin) 4 days prior to light delivery from fibres inserted directly into the target tumour (20 J per site at 652 nm) under image guidance. In all, 45 patients were treated. Nine achieved a complete response. Five are alive and free of disease 10-60 months later. Symptomatic relief (mainly for bleeding, pain or tumour debulking) was achieved in a further 24. The median survival (Kaplan-Meier) was 16 months for the 33 responders, but only 2 months for the 12 nonresponders. The only serious complication was a carotid blow out 2 weeks after PDT. No loss of function was detected in nerves encased by treated tumours. Interstitial photodynamic therapy provides worthwhile palliation with few complications and occasional long-term survivors for otherwise untreatable advanced head and neck cancers. It is a treatment option worth adding to those available to integrated head and neck oncology teams.
authors.affiliation: National Medical Laser Centre, Department of Surgery, University College London, London, UK.
authors.forename: P-J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Theodossy
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Bown
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hopper
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008652:Mesoporphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010778:Photochemotherapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D008652:Mesoporphyrins; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; C072269:temoporfin