Chemiluminescence and hematoporphyrin derivative: a novel therapy for mammary adenocarcinomas in mice.

A Chemiluminescent System (CLS), using a Peroxyoxalate chemiluminescent solution (PCs), together with Hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) Photofrin II., were utilized in the treatment of transplanted mammary adenocarcinomas in C3H/HeJ female mice. Tumor bearing animals aged 2-4 months were divided into five groups; Group I was the control. Groups 2 and 4 compared the effectiveness of both reagents HpD and PCs which were administered by intratumor injections fractionated over a 96 hour period. Groups 3 and 5 compared the effectiveness of PCs alone. Tests of the PCs were conducted with and without the presence of luminescence. Fifty-three percent of the animals in Group 4 and 47% of the animals in Group 2 remained tumor free 120 days after the completion of treatment. Thirty percent of the animals in Groups 2 and 4 survived one year without tumor recurrence. The results of this study suggest that a chemical light system can be a viable alternative in Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) to laser light for the activation of HpD and treatment of cancer.