Two years' experience with photodynamic therapy of bladder carcinoma

Eleven patients with intractable bladder carcinoma who were either unfit for radical surgery, or had refused it, were treated with whole bladder photodynamic therapy. Seven patients had carcinoma in situ and 4 had papillary tumours. Four of the 11 patients had recurrent tumours after a full course of radiotherapy for invasive bladder cancer. A complete local response was initially achieved in 9 patients with a mean follow-up of 12 months. The patients previously treated with radiotherapy had a remarkable response, with local control in all cases, but they had severe local side effects and a pronounced reduction in bladder capacity. In the non-irradiated group, bladder capacity was reduced permanently in only 1 of 7 patients.