Five-year disease-free survival of a lung cancer patient treated only by photodynamic therapy.

A 59-year-old woman had suffered cough and sputum production for several months. Chest x-ray film findings were negative, but sputum cytology yielded a diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma. This stage Ia lung cancer in the right upper lobe bronchus was deemed inoperable due to poor cardiopulmonary function. She was treated by photodynamic therapy in February 1981, involving intravenous injection of hematoporphyrin derivative and fiberoptic endoscopically delivered argon dye laser light. She responded well to the treatment and the lesion disappeared within a week. At present, she is apparently disease-free more than five years after treatment. This is the first known report of five-year disease-free survival following treatment of a malignant lesion by PDT only.