Abstract
Experience with intraoperative PDT in 50 patients with malignant supratentorial tumours is reported; in 33 cases the tumour was recurrent. In 45 patients the tumour was a cerebral glioma and in five cases a solitary cerebral metastasis. There were 29 males and 17 females with an age range of 17–73 (mean 48) years. All patients received either haematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) or dihaematoporphyrin ether (DHE) 18–24 h preoperatively. A photoilluminating device, of the authors' design, was coupled to an argon dye pump laser in order to deliver light at 630 nm to a tumour cavity created by radical tumour resection and/or tumour cyst drainage. The total light energy delivered ranged from 440 to 3888 J and the light energy density ranged from 8 to 175 J/cm2. In eight patients a line fibre(s) was used to administer interstitial light as a supplement to the cavitary photoillumination. The additional light dose ranged from 60 to 945 J/cm.
There were two postoperative deaths as the consequence of haematoma accumulation in the tumour resection cavity. In three patients neurological function was worse postoperatively and did not recover. Postoperative cerebral oedema was pronounced in some cases and required second craniotomy in two patients (the histology from both showed haemorrhagic necrosis of residual tumour). Four patients developed wound infections; two of these required surgical treatment. Four patients, two of whom were hemiparetic, developed deep vein thrombosis and required anticoagulant therapy. There were no adverse systemic reactions to the administration of either photosensitizer and only three skin photosensitivity reactions.
Follow up ranged from 1 to 30 months. In the group of 45 patients with gliomas the death rate per observation year was 0.92 for the interval between PDT and death. For the interval between first diagnosis and death the rate was 0.41 deaths per observation year. The median survival was 8.6 months with a 1 and 2 year actuarial survival rate of 32% and 18%, repectively.
In 12 patients a complete or near complete CT scan response was identified post PDT. These patients tended to have a tumour geometry (e.g. cystic) that allowed complete or near complete light distribution to the tumour. The median survival for this group was 17.1 months with a 1 and 2 year actuarial survival of 62% and 38%, respectively. In the 33 cases without a complete response the median survival was 6.5 months with a 1 and 2 year actuarial survival of 22% and 11%, respectively.
Photodynamic therapy of malignant brain tumours can be carried out with acceptable risk. Good responses appear to be related to adequate light delivery to the tumour.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Walker MD. Brain tumour study group: a survey of current activities.Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 1977,46:209–12
Lipson RL, Baldes EJ, Olsen AM. The use of a derivative of hematoporphyrin in tumor detection.JNCL 1961,26:1–11
Dougherty TJ, Weishaupt KR, Boyle DG. Photosensitizers. In: DeVita VT Jr, Hellman S, Rosenberg SA (eds)Cancer: principles and practice of oncology. 1982:1836–44
Kaye AH, Morstyn G, Appuzzo LJ. Photoradiation therapy and its potential in the management of neurological tumors.J Neurosurg 1988,69:1–14
Kaye AH, Morstyn G, Ashcroft RG. Uptake and retension of hematoporphyrin derivative in an in vivo/in vitro model of cerebral glioma.Neurosurgery 1985,17:883–90
Little FM, Gomer CJ, Hyman S et al. Observations in studies of quantitative kinetics of tritium labelled hematoporphyrin derivatives (HPDI and HPDII) in the normal and neoplastic rat brain model.J Neurooncol 1984,2:361–70
Wharen RE Jr, Anderson RE, Laws ER Jr. Quantitation of hematoporphyrin derivative in human gliomas, experimental nervous system tumors, and normal tissues.Neurosurgery 1983,12:446–50
Boggan JE, Walter R, Edwards MSB et al. Distribution of hematoporphyrin derivative in the rat 9L gliosarcoma brain tumour analyzed by digital video fluorescence microscopy.J Neurosurg 1984,61:1113–9
Granelli SG, Diamond I, McDonagh AF et al. Photochemotherapy of glioma cells by visible light and hematoporphyrin.Cancer Res 1975,35:2556–70
Kaye AH, Morstyn G. Photoradiation therapy causing selective tumour kill in a rat glioma model.Neurosurgery 1987,20:408–15
Cohen AM, Wood WC, Bamberg M, Martuza R. Cytotoxicity of human brain tumours by hematoporphyrin derivative.J Surg Res 1986,41:81–3
Kaye AH, Morstyn G, Brownbill D. Adjuvant high dose photoradiation therapy for the treatment of malignant glioma: a phase 1–2 study.J Neurosurg 1987,67:500–5
Kostron H, Weiser G, Fritsch W, Grunert V. Photodynamic therapy of malignant brain tumors: clinical and neuropathological results.Photochem Photobiol 1987,46:937–43
Laws ER, Cortese DA, Kinsey JH et al. Photoradiation therapy in the treatment of malignant brain tumors: a feasibility study.Neurosurgery 1981,9:672–8
Laws ER, Wharen RE Jr. Comments.Neurosurgery 1984,15:807–9
Law ER, Wharen RE Jr, Anderson RE. Photodynamic therapy of brain tumours. In: Jori G, Perria C (eds)Photodynamic therapy of tumours and other diseases. Padova: Libreria Progetto Editore 1985
McCulloch GAJ, Forbes IJ, Lee See K et al. Phototherapy in malignant brain tumours. In: Doiron DR, Gomer CJ (eds)Porphyrin localization and treatment of tumors. New York: AR Liss 1984:709–18
Muller PJ, Wilson B. Photodynamic therapy (PDT): cavitary photoillumination of malignant cerebral tumours using a laser coupled inflatable balloon. A preliminary report.Can J Neurol Sci 1985,12:371–3
Muller PJ, Wilson BC. Photodynamic therapy of malignant primary brain tumours: clinical effects, postoperative intracranial ICP, and light penetration of brain.Photochem Photobiol 1987,46:929–36
Perria C, Capuzzo T, Cavagnaro G et al. First attempts at the photodynamic therapy of human gliomas.J Neurosurg Sci 1980,24:119–29
Perria C, Carai M, Falzoi A et al. Photodynamic therapy of malignant tumors: Clinical results of, difficulties with, and future prospects for the neurosurgical applications.Neurosurgery 1988,23:557–63
Wilson B, Muller PJ, Yanche JC. Instrumentation and light dosimetry for intraoperative photodynamic therapy (PDT) of malignant brain tumours.Phys Med Biol 1986,32:125–33
Muller PJ, Wilson BC. An update on the penetration depth of 630nm light in normal and malignant human brain tissue in vivo.Phys Med Biol 1986,31:1295–7
US Department of Health Education and Welfare - Public Health ServiceVital statistics of the United States 1966, Vol. II;Vital statistics rates in the United States 1940–1960 Washington DC: US Dept. of Health Education and Welfare
Cutler SJ, Young JL. Third national cancer survey. Incidence data.Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 1975:411–54
Gutin PH, Wara WM, Phillips TL, Wilson CB. Hypoxic cell radiosensitizers in the treatment of malignant brain tumours.Neurosurgery 1980,6:567–76
Payne J, Simpson J, Keen C, Platts M. Malignant astrocytoma: hyperfractionated and standard radiotherapy with chemotherapy in a randomized prospective clinical trial.Cancer 1982,50:2301–6
Shin KH, Muller PJ, Geggie PHS. Superfractionation radiation therapy in the treatment of malignant astrocytoma.Cancer 1983,52:2040–3
Shin KH, Urtasun RC, Thomas H et al. Multiple daily fractionated radiation therapy and misonidazole in the management of malignant astrocytoma.Cancer 1984
Walker MD, Green SB, Byar DP, Alexander E. Randomized comparisons of radiotherapy and nitrosoureas for the treatment of malignant glioma after surgery.N Engl J Med 1980,303:1324–9
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Muller, P.J., Wilson, B.C. Photodynamic therapy of malignant brain tumours. Laser Med Sci 5, 245–252 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02031391
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02031391