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Photodynamic therapy: An effective, but non‐selective treatment for superficial cancers of the oral cavity
Author(s) -
Grant William E.,
Speight Paul M.,
Hopper Colin,
Bown Stephen G.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19970611)71:6<937::aid-ijc4>3.0.co;2-z
Subject(s) - pathology , medicine , photodynamic therapy , connective tissue , necrosis , elastin , staining , epithelium , fibrin , granulation tissue , coagulative necrosis , endothelium , wound healing , surgery , chemistry , organic chemistry , immunology , endocrinology
It has often been claimed that photodynamic therapy (PDT) produces selective destruction of small cancers without affecting the adjacent normal tissue. The objective of our work was to treat small cancers of the oral cavity with PDT and subsequently excise the treated areas for histological studies of tumour and adjacent normal tissue exposed to the same light dose. Eleven patients with histologically proven T1NO oral squamous‐cell carcinomas were treated with PDT, using Photofrin as a sensitiser. The tumours plus a surrounding cuff of normal tissue were exposed to 50 J/cm 2 non‐thermal laser light at 630 nm delivered by surface illumination and the treated areas subsequently excised. Histological staining and image analysis were used to determine the nature and extent of injury. No macroscopic distinction was evident between tumour and normal tissue exposed to light. Histologically, replacement of superficial epithelium, tumour and connective tissue with a fibrinous necrotic slough was seen. There was also loss of endothelium from small vessels, with haemorrhage and thrombosis. Preservation of subepithelial collagen and elastin was demonstrated with EVG staining. No evidence of selective tumour necrosis was found. Although depth of injury was variable, full thickness mucosal necrosis occurred in all cases. Int. J. Cancer 71: 937‐942, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss Inc.