[Photodynamic therapy of malignant brain tumors]

The combination of haematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) and visible light at 630 nm, termed as photodynamic treatment (PDT), provides a new tool in tumour therapy, causing selective tumour destruction initiated by photochemical reactions. Up to now 13 patients with malignant brain tumours (12 glioblastoma multiforme, 1 leiomyosarcoma) were treated with 40-80 J/cm2 light following parenteral or direct injection of HPD (5 mg/i.a. or 1 mg/ccm tumour volume). In 5 patients the PDT was followed by subsequent radiotherapy with 4 Gy. The patients with recurrent tumour showed a median survival time of 5 months, whereas the 6 patients with primary manifestations have survived so far for periods of up to 9 months. However, the follow up period is too short to allow final conclusions to be reached on the effect of PDT in the treatment of malignant brain tumours.