PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM RECURRENT GYNECOLOGICAL CARCINOMAS

Patients with recurrent gynaecological carcinomas have a poor prognosi s, with a survival of a few months. Three patients with a recurrent vu lva carcinoma, one patient with a recurrent cervical carcinoma, one pa tient with a recurrent endometrial carcinoma, and one patient with a r ecurrent breast carcinoma underwent PDT after parenteral or topical se nsitisation with Photosan 3(R). From these patients, two of them showe d a complete response with no evidence of disease for 32 and 29 months . One patient responded partially with two recurrences, which were tre ated twice after tropical sensitisation, living now 21 months. The rem aning three patients showed partial response and died 3 to 8 months af ter PDT. The energy applied was derived from an argon-dye-laser rangin g between 225 and 750 joule/cm2. Photosan 3(R) was given intravenously at a dose of 2.5 mg/kg body weight and was tolerated without any alle rgic reaction. The response rate in three of six patients in recurrent gynaecological malignancies encourages us to pursue PDT in gynaecolog ical disease.