The history of PDT at the Department of Neurosurgery in Innsbruck; 25 years of experimental and clinical research

摘要

SUMMARY: Photodynamic Therapy for the treatment of dermatological pathologies has a long tradition, whereas the treatment of brain tumors started in 1971.We will review the development of experimental and clinical research in PDT at the Department for Neurosurgery in Innsbruck, Austria, which began in 1982 and was carried on to the first treatment of a glioblastoma in 1985. Intra-operative Diagnosis (PDD) and fluorescence guided resection (FGR) followed 1998, which was only possible from switching from the first generation sensitizer HPD (Photofrin, Fotosan 3) to a second generation photosensitizer mTHPC (FOSCAN). Over 120 patients were treated with HPD mediated PDT and over 30 patients with FOSCAN, the later ones following the concept "to see and to treat". New effidrugs and drug delivery systems are currently under investigation for neuro-oncology. Controlled trials are already in progress which will finally show the place of PDD/PDT in neuro-oncological surgery.