PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY IN GYNECOLOGICAL CANCER

We started photodynamic therapy in gynaecologic tumors in 1988. Seven patients with endometrial carcinomas stage FIGO 1a (restricted to the endometrium) were treated primarily and also 4 patients with recurrenc es of vaginal and vault cervix carcinoma, carcinoma of the corpus uter i and the vulva. Residual tumors after conventional therapy of cervix and vulvar carcinoma were treated in 2 patients. Tumor illumination wa s performed by an Argon dye laser 24-72 h following the intravenous ad ministration of haematoporphyrin derivatives (HPD) (Photosan III, 2 mg kg(-1) body weight). The intracavitary tumor irradiation by means of a glass fibre was controlled by ultrasound. Superficial and small lesi ons of vaginal and vulvar carcinomas were subjected to superficial lig ht irradiation; whereas tumors exceeding 1 cm in depth were treated in terstitially. Tumor response was estimated 1 month after therapy. Comp lete remission was achieved in 8 patients, partial remission in 2, and no remission in 3 cases. Subsequent radiotherapy was performed in 3 p atients with bleeding endometrial cancer with consecutive complete res ponse.