Cytocidal effects of hematoporphyrin derivative and argon dye laser on human gynecologic tumor cells in vitro.

Antitumor effects of hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) plus argon dye laser were examined using various human gynecologic tumor cells in vitro. Irradiation alone with argon dye laser showed no effect on the DNA synthesis of cells. Treatment of the cells with HpD inhibited the DNA synthesis depending on the concentration and the exposure time. Photoradiation by argon dye laser following treatment of the cells with HpD 40 micrograms/ml for 2 h killed more than 80% of cells when the cells were irradiated for more than 3 min. Prominent degenerative changes of the cytoplasm and the nucleus appeared within 1 h after photoradiation. These changes were confirmed by morphology and DNA histogram. There were no differences of sensitivity to photoradiation among the three histologically different kinds of cells lines used.