HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Alfred Maier Hans Pinter Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Maier, A. Articles by Smolle-Jüttner, F. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Maier, A. Articles by Smolle-Jüttner, F. M. Related Collections Esophagus - cancer

Ann Thorac Surg 2001;72:1136-1140
© 2001 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

---

Original article: general thoracic

Photosensitization with hematoporphyrin derivative compared to 5-aminolaevulinic acid for photodynamic therapy of esophageal carcinoma

^a Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic and Hyperbaric Surgery, University of Graz Medical School, Graz, Austria
^b Department of Surgery, Division of Biomedical Engineering and Computing, University of Graz Medical School, Graz, Austria

Accepted for publication June 18, 2001.

Address reprint requests to Dr Maier, Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic and Hyperbaric Surgery, University of Graz Medical School, Auenbruggerplatz 29 A-8036, Graz, Austria
e-mail: alfred.maier{at}klinikum-graz.at

Background. Hematoporphyrin derivatives (HpD) as sensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in advanced esophageal cancer carry the risk of prolonged photosensitivity of the skin. New sensitizers such as 5-aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) with low rates of skin phototoxicity appear to be promising alternatives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ALA compared with HpD for PDT in advanced esophageal carcinoma regarding phototoxicity of the skin, reduction of dysphagia, tumor stenosis and length, and Karnovsky performance status.

Methods. After diagnostic workup, photosensitization was done in 22 patients with ALA (60 mg/kg body weight, oral, 6 to 8 hours before PDT) and in 27 patients with a hematoporphyrin derivative (2 mg/kg body weight, intravenously, 48 hours before PDT). The light dose was calculated as 300 J/cm fiber tip. Light at 630 nm was applied using a pumped dye laser. In both groups, additional hyperbaric oxygenation was applied at a level of 2 absolute atmospheric pressure.

Results. Improvement regarding dysphagia, stenosis diameter, and tumor length could be obtained in both treatment arms with a significant difference in favor of the HpD group (p = 0.02; p = 0.0000; and p = 0.000014, respectively). A questionnaire of patients in the HpD group confirmed that the ability of swallowing a meal was superior compared with the discomfort from limitation to sun exposure. No sunburn or other major treatment-related complication occurred in both treatment arms.

Conclusions. Despite the limitations of a nonrandomized study, photosensitzation with HpD seems to be more effective in PDT of advanced esophageal carcinoma compared with ALA.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. F. Isik, G. Ozturk, S. Ugras, and M. Karaayvaz Enzymatic dissection for palliative treatment of esophageal carcinoma: an experimental study Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery, April 1, 2005; 4(2): 140 - 142. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]