Effects of photodynamic therapy in combination with Adriamycin

The combination of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and Adriamycin (ADM) was studied in the animal model system. Photohem (PH) was used as a photosensitizer. Mice bearing carcinoma epidermoides LL of the lung received PH once at a dose 10 mg/kg and after 24 h ADM was injected i.p. at a dose 3 mg/kg and tumors were illuminated with laser light after three different time intervals, 15 min, 3 and 24 h. To evaluate the effect of PDT and PDT combined with ADM the intensity of lipid peroxidation in tumor tissue and in blood serum was determined using the thiobarbituric acid assay. PDT induces an increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in tumor tissue as well as in blood serum. When PDT is combined with ADM, the MDA level in tumor tissue is similar to the level of this product as in the PDT alone. No enhancement of the efficiency of the combined treatment was observed at these experimental conditions. This is also confirmed by the tumor growth dynamics, survival time of animals and flow cytometric DNA analysis of tumor cells. For the successful combination of PDT with chemotherapy it is suggested to apply the drugs at the regimen which will allow to avoid the interaction between two agents since the ground state interaction between PH and ADM is stated spectroscopically. It should lead to the conclusion that the sequence of the combination of two treatment modalities is an important factor for synergistic effect.