Photodynamic treatment of epithelial tissue derived from patients with endometrial cancer: A contribution to the role of laminin and epidermal growthfactor receptor in photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was used to treat endometrial G1 cancer tissue d erived from patients who had undergone a total hysterectomy and bilateral s alpingo-oophorectomy. After surgical treatment the cancerous tissue was kep t in a medium containing Dulbecco solution, fetal calf serum, and antibioti cs. The tissue was then exposed to hematoporphyrin derivative (0.1 mg/l) an d 24 h later exposed to light (total light dose-18 J/sq cm). Necrosis depth was evaluated 24 h later using a light microscope. In order to assess the possible role of the basal membrane component laminin, as well as epidermal growth factor receptor susceptibility to PDT, immunohistochemical studies were carried out. Additionally, nucleolar organizer regions evaluation was performed. Our experiment confirmed that PDT results in the necrosis in the treated endometrial cancer, while not affecting the laminin in the cancero us tissue. In contrast, PDT strongly affects the epidermal growth factor re ceptor and nucleolar organizer regions in cancer cells. We suggest that lam inin may contribute to the prevention of cancer dissemination in the cases where PDT has to be repeated, and that after PDT the cells become less susc eptible to a mitogen, like, e.g., epidermal growth factor. (C) 1999 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers. [S1083-3668(99)00903-X].