title: Photodynamic therapy as an adjunct to surgery or other treatments for squamous cell lung cancers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was performed on 14 cases of tracheobronchial malignancies with variable tumor stages as an adjunct to surgery. We retrospectively reviewed these PDT cases to evaluate safety and oncologic outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  From June 2004 to August 2010, PDT was performed in 14 cases for lung cancer. Medical records were reviewed, including demographic data, indication of the PDT, and oncologic outcomes, during the follow-up period.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 5 deaths, 1 loss of follow-up, and 5 patients that are still alive. There were 8 cases of complete response (CR), 4 cases of no response (NR), and 2 cases of partial response (PR). Among the recurrent tracheoendobronchial lesions in 5 patients, CR was accomplished in 4 patients and NR was observed in 1 patient. The mean survival of all patients was 23.9 months after PDT with a range of 6 - 66 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PDT demonstrates a safe and effective role as an adjunct to surgery in treating recurrent mucosal carcinoma in surgically high-risk patients. It is also effective for palliation of bronchial obstruction by cancer mass.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Sungnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Sanghoon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jheon
authors.forename: Taehun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong-Ki
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Kim