Abstract
Six patients with a total of 34 assessible subcutaneous or cutaneous lesions were treated with photodynamic therapy using 1.0, 1.5 or 2.0 mg kg-1 of photofrin II and 25-100 J cm-2 of red light (630 nm). The incidence of complete tumour response and skin necrosis were used to try to assess the therapeutic ratio of photodynamic therapy. The tumour response rate was 47%. The rate of tumour control and necrosis increased in parallel with dose of photosensitizer and light used, implying a low therapeutic ratio. However, the use of necrosis with eschar formation as an end-point for severe normal tissue damage is questioned as the skin healed completely in all cases and with minimal discomfort to the patients.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gilson, D., Ash, D., Driver, I. et al. Therapeutic ratio of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of superficial tumours of skin and subcutaneous tissues in man. Br J Cancer 58, 665–667 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1988.282
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1988.282