Photodynamic therapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Authors :: Hosokawa S
Takebayashi S
Takahashi G
Okamura J
Mineta H
Source :: Lasers in surgery and medicine [Lasers Surg Med] 2018 Jul; Vol. 50 (5), pp. 420-426. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Feb 05.
Publication Year :: 2018
Abstract: Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive treatment for malignant tumors. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of PDT in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).<br />Methods: Thirty-three patients with HNSCC were treated with porfimer sodium-mediated PDT followed by intraoperative light activation at 630 nm via fiber optic microlens delivered after 48 hours of injection.<br />Results: The complete response (CR) rate was 72.7%, while the efficacy (CR + partial response) rate was 97.0%. The rate of good local control (i.e., CR without recurrence after PDT) achieved after the initial PDT (82.6%) was significantly higher than that achieved after the second or third PDT (10%); this rate remained at 62.1% without functional disturbance and disfigurement even after excluding four previously untreated patients. The final local control rate following PDT plus additional therapies was 73.8%.<br />Conclusions: PDT is an effective therapy to treat HNSCC, and leads to an improved quality of life in patients with residual or recurrent disease. Lasers Surg. Med. 50:420-426, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.<br /> (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)