Photodynamic therapy (PDT) for bronchial carcinoma with the use of rigid bronchoscope

Endoscopic PDT was undertaken in nine patients with inoperable bronchial cancer. Eight patients had advanced metastatic disease and one was unsuitablefor surgery on account of age, respiratory function and location of tumour. Patients were injected with Photofrin II (no. 7) or Polyhaematoporphyrin derivative (no. 2) at 2 mg kg−1 of bodyweight before being irradiated 48 h later by 630 nm red light generated by a copper vapour laser (Oxford Lasers) for 200 J cm−1 tumour tissue. Treatment was undertaken under general anaesthetic using a rigid bronchoscope for ventilating and suction purposes with the fibre optic instrument introduced through the rigid bronchoscope for localization of tumour and placement of the diffusing fibre. One patient died 2 months after treatment from carcinomatosis. One patient had total response with negative histology for 10 months. All other patients with substantial endobronchial obstructive lesions had partial response with significant reduction in percentage obstruction and improved pulmonary function. There have been no post-operative complications.