Photodynamic therapy for R1 lung cancer resections

The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of endobronchial photodynamic therapy (PDT) for preventing a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) relapse after R1 resection with positive bronchial resection margins. Material and methods. This study included 17 patients. The planned morphological diagnostics revealed the presence of tumor cell complexes at the bronchial resection margins in 5 (29 %) patients (cancer in situ – 2, invasive cancer – 3), in peribronchial tissues – in 5 (29 %) patients, in lymphatic vessels at the resection margins – in 7 (41 %) patients. Results. All patients underwent one session of endobronchial PDT as an adjuvant treatment. No complications of PDT were noted. The five-year observation revealed a relapse at the bronchial stump area in 1 patient only (6 %). 16 (94 %) patients lived for 1 year, 12 (71 %) patients – for 5 years. Long-term results were significantly worse in patients with tumor complexes in lymphatic vessels at the bronchial resection margins (5-year survival rate – 29 %, p=0.04), with pN2 (0 %, p=0.01), lung adenocarcinoma (20 %, p=0.03). Conclusion. The use of endobronchial PDT as an adjuvant treatment for patients with NSCLC after R1 resection with positive bronchial resection margins is simple, safe and characterized by good immediate and long-term results.