Hematoporphyrin derivative and photoradiation therapy in early stage lung cancer.

Photoradiation therapy (PRT) with administration of hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) was performed in ten cases of early stage central-type lung cancer of which six cases were treated by PRT alone due to inoperability because of poor pulmonary function in five and refusal of surgery in one. Four cases were resected after PRT. In the former, complete tumor remission was obtained in all six and in the latter, complete tumor remission was seen in one and significant remission in three. In the nonresected cases four cases are disease-free at 17-41 months and the remaining two cases died of chronic obstructive lung disease and cerebral infarction 16 and 31 months after PRT, respectively. The resected cases are disease-free 7-32 months after surgery. Indications of PRT in early stage lung cancer are discussed according to histological findings of resected specimen.