ENDOBRONCHIAL PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY UNDER FLUORESCENCE CONTROL: PHOTODYNAMIC THERANOSTICS

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Medical Imaging
• Photochemistry

Background:

• Photodynamic therapy (PDT) for lung cancer lacks individualization based on tumor biology.
• Tumor characteristics like vascularity and photosensitizer uptake influence PDT efficacy.
• Current PDT methods do not account for individual patient or tumor variations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and assess an individualized endobronchial PDT method for central non-small cell lung carcinoma.
• To improve PDT by incorporating fluorescent diagnostics for personalized treatment.
• To evaluate the efficacy of this individualized approach compared to standard PDT.

Main Methods:

• A novel method using fluorescent diagnostics to assess photosensitizer accumulation and expenditure in tumor tissue.
• Randomized comparison of the novel method (main group, n=45) against a standard method (comparison group, n=45).
• Measurement of irradiation duration and treatment outcomes in both groups.

Main Results:

• The individualized method significantly reduced irradiation duration (690±65s to 470±45s, p=0.02).
• Treatment outcomes were comparable between the individualized and standard PDT groups.
• The method successfully identified patients with absent tumor fluorescence, for whom PDT is not recommended.

Conclusions:

• Individualized endobronchial PDT using fluorescent diagnostics is effective for non-small cell lung cancer.
• This approach optimizes treatment by reducing procedure time and identifying non-responders.
• Fluorescence-guided PDT allows for better patient selection, improving resource allocation and treatment planning.