[Photodynamic therapy of superficial bladder tumors]

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), using hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) and the red light (wavelength 630 nm) of an argon-dye laser as the source of excitation energy was performed on 46 patients with superficial bladder tumors. Two methods of laser irradiation, (1) focal PDT using a 400 micron quartz fiber through a cystourethroscope in 22 patients with superficial bladder tumors and (2) whole bladder wall total PDT using a motor-driven laser light scattering device in 24 patients with multifocal carcinoma in situ and/or dysplasia of bladder mucosa associated with multicentric concurrent superficial tumors, were used. The patients in (2) had been referred for total cystectomy, and 19 of these 24 patients had a history of several transurethral resections, hyperthermia and/or instillation therapy. HPD 2-4 mg/kg was i.v. injected 48 to 72 hours before PDT. Judging from the results of 60 protrusions treated by focal PDT, the light power should be 200 mW/cm2 for 5-10 minutes or more and the total light energy should be 100 J/cm2 or more in tumors up to 2 cm in size. With focal PDT, 4 of the 22 patients had no recurrence with the mean tumor free time of 20.8 months. In 6 of the 24 patients treated with total PDT using 10, 20 or 30 J/cm2 of light energy, there was no recurrence with a mean tumor-free time of 7.5 months and there was no significant relationship between the recurrence rate and total light energy used.