Clinical use of photodynamic therapy for patients with cancer

In vitro study using ultrasound and sonosensitizer has been investigated as a new cancer therapy. This combination effect has been called sonodynamic therapy (SDT). However, most studies were in vitro experiments. We performed SDT for three patients with cancer for whom every possible chemotherapy and radiation therapy were ineffective. Ultrasound and drug used in clinical study was 0.9 MHz at intensity below 4 W/cm(2), and porfimer sodium. respectively. No side effects caused by SDT were observed in those three patients. Inhibition of tumor growth was seta in two patients. Accumulation of patients treated with SDT is mandatory to evaluate combination effect of ultrasound and sonosensitizer. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.