hotodynamic therapy shows efficiency in head and neck cancers
10/31/2001 Lisbon, Portugal Peter Hofland, PhD Reuters Health Temoporfin-mediated photodynamic therapy represents a major advance in the treatment of head and neck cancer, yielding complete response rates comparable with those published for surgery or radiotherapy, according to phase II data reported here last week during ECCO 11, the European Cancer Conference. Temoporfin-mediated photodynamic therapy (Foscan PDT) is an "effective and well-tolerated treatment" and can be administered without surgery, said Dr. Colin Hopper, a consultant surgeon of the National Medical Laser Centre in London, UK. Dr. Hopper presented the results of a prospective non-randomised phase II study, conducted in 15 centers in 6 countries. The trial examined response rates to Foscan PDT in 114 patients with primary (Tis, T1 and T2) squamous cell carcinoma of the lip, oral cavity, oropharynx or hypopharynx. Patients with Karnofsky status greater than or equal to 70 received Foscan (0.15 mg/kg IV), followed 4 days later by a single nonthermal illumination of the tumor with red light (20 J/cm?, irradiance 100 mW/cm? , wavelength 652 nm). The initial response was determined after 12 weeks. After 2 years of follow-up, 85% of patients had a complete response (elimination of the tumor) with Foscan PDT alone, and another 6% achieved a complete response with Foscan PDT followed by other adjunctive therapy, including surgery or radiotherapy, giving an overall response rate of 91%. Dr. Hopper reported that in 59% of all cases a complete response rate was biopsy-confirmed. The 1- and 2-year overall survival rates were 90% and 81% [...]