Induction of immune mediators in glioma and prostate cancer cells by non-lethal photodynamic therapy.

Background: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses the combination of photosensitizing drugs and harmless light to cause selective damage to tumor cells. PDT is therefore an option for focal therapy of localized disease or for otherwise unresectable tumors. In addition, there is increasing evidence that PDT can induce systemic anti-tumor immunity, supporting control of tumor cells, which were not eliminated by the primary treatment.

Photodynamic diagnosis of prostate cancer using 5-aminolevulinic acid--first clinical experiences.

Objectives: To study the feasibility of 5-aminolevulinic-acid (5-ALA)-induced photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) for the evaluation of the surgical margins (SMs) during radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with prostate cancer (PCa).

Methods: A total of 18 patients with histologically confirmed PCa (Gleason score 4 to 8, prostate-specific antigen 1 to 20 ng/mL) underwent RP. Of the 18 patients, 16 received 5-ALA (20 mg/kg) orally 2 hours before RP, and 2 served as controls without any application of 5-ALA.

Long-sustaining response in a patient with non-resectable, distant recurrence of glioblastoma multiforme treated by interstitial photodynamic therapy using 5-ALA: case report.

Glioblastoma multiforme continues to be a devastating disease despite modest improvements in survival achieved at present, and there is an urgent need for innovative treatment concepts. Five-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a drug which induces protoporphyrin IX accumulation in malignant gliomas and has been explored for fluorescence-guided resections of these tumors. ALA is also under investigation as a photosensitizer.

Study of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) pharmacokinetics after topical application of 5-aminolevulinic acid in urethral condylomata acuminata.

The pharmacokinetics of 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) in lesions of urethral condylomata acuminata were investigated. Sixty patients (20 to 60 years old, 48 male and 12 female) were divided randomly into five groups and received topic application of different concentrations of ALA solution (0.5%, 1%, 3%, 5% or 10%).

Interstitial photodynamic therapy of nonresectable malignant glioma recurrences using 5-aminolevulinic acid induced protoporphyrin IX.

Background And Objective: Limited knowledge of the light and temperature distribution within the target volume in combination with non-selective accumulation of the applied photosensitizers (PS) has hampered the clinical relevance of interstitial photodynamic therapy (iPDT) for treatment of malignant glioma patients. The current pilot study focused on the development and the clinical implementation of an accurate and reproducible irradiation scheme for iPDT using 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) induced protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) as a selectively working PS.

Study Design/materials And Methods: Monte Carlo simulations of fluence rate and heat transport simulations were performed using the optical properties of normal brain tissue infiltrated by tumor cells (absorption coefficient micro(a) = 0.

Two-photon photodynamic therapy of C6 cells by means of 5-aminolevulinic acid induced protoporphyrin IX.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has received increased attention as a treatment modality for malignant tumors as well as non-oncologic diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD). An alternative to excite the photosensitizer by the common one-photon absorption is the method of two-photon excitation (TPE). This two-photon photodynamic therapy has the potential of improving the therapeutic outcome due to a highly localized photodynamic effect.

In-vivo kinetics of inhaled 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX fluorescence in bronchial tissue.

Background: In the diagnosis of early-stage lung cancer photosensitizer-enhanced fluorescence bronchoscopy with inhaled 5-aminolevolinic acid (5-ALA) increases sensitivity when compared to white-light bronchoscopy. This investigation was to evaluate the in vivo tissue pharmacokinetics of inhaled 5-ALA within the bronchial mucosa in order to define the time optimum for its application prior to bronchoscopy.

Methods: Patients with known or suspected bronchial carcinoma were randomized to receive 200 mg 5-ALA via inhalation 1, 2, 3, 4 or 6 hours before flexible fluorescence bronchoscopy was performed.

Acute morphological sequelae of photodynamic therapy with 5-aminolevulinic acid in the C6 spheroid model.

Objective: Aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) may represent a treatment option for malignant brain tumors. We used a three-dimensional cell culture system, the C6 glioma spheroid model, to study acute effects of PDT and how they might be influenced by treatment conditions.

Methods: Spheroids were incubated for 4 h in 100 microg/ml ALA in 5% CO(2) in room air or 95% O(2) with subsequent irradiation using a diode laser (lambda = 635 nm, 40 mW/cm(2), total fluence 25 J/cm(2)).

High-level virtual reality simulator for endourologic procedures of lower urinary tract.

Objectives: To analyze the limitations of existing simulators for urologic techniques, and then test and evaluate a novel virtual reality (VR) simulator for endourologic procedures of the lower urinary tract. Surgical simulation using VR has the potential to have a tremendous impact on surgical training, testing, and certification. Endourologic procedures seem to be an ideal target for VR systems.

Photodynamic therapy of prostate cancer by means of 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX - in vivo experiments on the dunning rat tumor model.

Objective: In order to expand the use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in the treatment of prostate carcinoma (PCA), the aim of this study was to evaluate PDT by means of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) in an in vivo tumor model.

Methods: The model used was the Dunning R3327 tumor. First of all, the pharmacokinetics and the localization of PPIX were obtained using fluorescence measurement techniques.

Comparison of thermal tissue effects induced by contact application of fiber guided laser systems.

Background And Objectives: Laser light of various wavelengths is being used for surgical procedures in otolaryngology. Apart from well-known fiber guided laser systems such as Nd:YAG- and Ho:YAG-lasers, newly developed diode-laser systems of different wavelengths have recently become popular in surgery. In order to compare the effects of fiber guided laser light with respect to their induced tissue effects, these laser systems have been studied and compared under reproducible test conditions.

In vitro photodynamic therapy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma using 5-aminolevulinic acid.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential use of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA, 5-amino-4-oxovaleric acid) induced protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and its related mechanisms of inducing cell death. PPIX biosynthesis at I to 8 h after incubation of a cultured NPC cell line (HNE1) with 5-ALA (10-5,000 microg ml(-1)) was determined via fluorescence analysis HNEI cells were irradiated at 4 h after incubation with 5-ALA (10-200 microg ml(-1)) by diode laser (lambda = 630 nm) at various energy levels (1-50 J cm(-2)). The survival rates at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h after PDT were determined by MTT assay.

Ultraviolet-excited (308 nm) autofluorescence for bladder cancer detection.

Objectives: To assess the ability of ultraviolet laser-induced autofluorescence for the diagnosis of transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

Methods: We studied 43 patients undergoing transurethral resection with recurrent transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Guided through 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced fluorescence endoscopy, the autofluorescence of the red fluorescing areas and the adjacent tissue and inconspicuous-appearing mucosa were measured spectroscopically.

Kinetics of 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced fluorescence in organ cultures of bronchial epithelium and tumor.

Background: 5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) fluorescence improves the differentiation of tumor and normal tissue in the bladder, skin and brain.

Objective: The kinetics of 5-ALA-induced protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) fluorescence in organ cultures of normal human bronchial epithelium and cocultures of bronchial epithelium and tumor have been studied.

Methods: Cultured biopsies of bronchial epithelium were exposed for 5 or 15 min, or continuously to 5-ALA.

Autofluorescence spectroscopy for the diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Objective: To assess the feasibility of autofluorescence spectroscopy in the diagnosis of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) using broadband light excitation.

Design: Feasibility study.

Setting: Colposcopy clinic of an university hospital.

Comparison of laser induced effects on hyperplastic inferior nasal turbinates by means of scanning electron microscopy.

Background And Objective: Various laser systems have been used for volume reduction of hyperplastic inferior nasal turbinates. Many studies have thus reported about clinical experiences concerning short and long term results. Although there are also some clinical investigations on histological changes after laser treatment, there is a lack of examinations by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in order to especially investigate laser induced superficial tissue effects (ablation, carbonization, and coagulation).

A comparative study of normal inspection, autofluorescence and 5-ALA-induced PPIX fluorescence for oral cancer diagnosis.

Fluorescence diagnosis aims to improve the management of oral cancer via early detection of the malignant lesions and better delimitation of the tumor margins. This paper presents a comparative study of normal inspection, combined fluorescence diagnosis (CFD) and its 2 main components, autofluorescence and 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-induced protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) fluorescence. Biopsy-controlled fluorescence imaging and spectral analysis were performed on a total of 85 patients with suspected or histologically proven oral carcinoma both before and after topical administration of 5-ALA (200 mg 5-ALA dissolved in 50 ml of H(2)0).