title: mTHPC-mediated photodynamic therapy of early stage oral squamous cell carcinoma: a comparison to surgical treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  mTHPC-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) is used for treatment of early head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. This study is a retrospective comparison of PDT with transoral surgery in the treatment of early primary squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity/oropharynx.
  
  
  METHODS
  PDT data were retrieved from four study databases; surgical results were retrieved from our institutional database. To select similar primary tumors, infiltration depth was restricted to 5 mm for the surgery group. A total of 126 T1 and 30 T2 tumors were included in the PDT group, and 58 T1 and 33 T2 tumors were included in the surgically treated group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete response rates with PDT and surgery were 86 and 76% for T1, respectively, and for T2 63 and 78%. Lower local disease-free survival for PDT compared to surgery was found. However, when comparing the need for local retreatment, no significant difference for T1 tumors was found, while for T2 tumors surgery resulted in significantly less need for local retreatment. No significant differences in overall survival between surgery and PDT were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PDT for T1 tumors results in a similar need for retreatment compared to surgery, while for T2 tumors PDT performs worse. Local disease-free survival for surgery is better than for PDT. This may be influenced by the benefit surgery has of having histology available. This allows an early decision on reintervention, while for PDT one has to follow a wait-and-see policy. Future prospective studies should compare efficacy as well as morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Division of Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. s.a.h.j.de.visscher@umcg.nl
authors.forename: Sebastiaan A H J
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: de Visscher
authors.forename: Lieuwe J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Melchers
authors.forename: Pieter U
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Dijkstra
authors.forename: Baris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Karakullukcu
authors.forename: I Bing
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hopper
authors.forename: Jan L N
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Roodenburg
authors.forename: Max J H
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Witjes
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008652:Mesoporphyrins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D008652:Mesoporphyrins; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; C072269:temoporfin