Photodynamic Therapy of Malignant Ovarian Tumours Cultivated on CAM

Abstract.

The disappointing results with either surgery alone and/or chemotherapy in the treatment of malignant ovarian tumours have led to an increased interest in additional treatment schedules. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a modality involving the use of a photosensitising drug and activating light, is being used increasingly as a local treatment for neoplastic lesions. The synthesis and evaluation of new photosensitisers for the treatment of gynaecological lesions and malignancies continues to be an active area of investigation for proper application of the photodynamic process in the gynaecological field. The effect of PDT using methylene blue (free and combined with liposomes) as a photosensitiser for treating human ovarian malignant tumours cultivated on the chorioallantoic membrane was evaluated. Two days after PDT, the treated implanted tumours were markedly decreased in size. Areas of necrosis with black coloration, dryness and eschar formation were observed. Five days after PDT, tumour remission was clearly observed in all the treated tumours. Photodynamic therapy using methylene blue (aqueous and coupled with liposomes) is effective for treating the ovarian malignancies and it will be capable of achieving complete eradication of visible tumours in patients with superficial lesions.