Damage to tumour and brain by interstitial photodynamic therapy in the 9L rat tumour model comparing intravenous and intratumoral administration of the photosensitiser

In the 9L rat brain tumour model the damage to tumour and normal brain by photodynamic therapy after intratumoural photosensitizer administration (intratumoural PDT) was studied. Twenty four rats received an intratumoural injection of 4 or 40 mm(3) haematoporphyrin derivative (HpD, 5 mg ml(-1)), followed by interstitial irradiation with 20 Joule (J) (630 nm) 5 h later. For comparison, seven rats were treated with 20 Joule 24 h after an intravenous injection of 10 mg kg(-1) HpD (intravenous PDT). With the chosen PDT parameters there was no important difference between the damaged areas produced by intratumoural PDT or intravenous PDT. No selective tumour kill was observed. Even though normal brain tissue was heavily damaged, vital tumour parts were still present. Intravenous PDT caused extensive diffuse damage to small blood vessels in tumour and surrounding normal brain. Intratumoural PDT was characterised by an infiltration of polymorphonuclear cells into damaged tissue, dilatation of larger blood vessels and gross haemorrhage. These results suggest an immediate vascular shutdown in the intravenous approach, while in the intratumoural approach the vasculature remained patent initially. Because of the severe side effects observed, the use of HpD seems not advisable for intratumoural PDT of brain tumours.