PURPOSE: Cystectomy is indicated after unsuccessful transurethral resection and intravesical treatment of superficial bladder cancer. As an alternative, whole bladder photodynamic therapy was done. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 21 patients the bladder was irradiated with laser light at a wavelength of 630 nm. after intravenous injection of a synthetic porphyrin mixture. RESULTS: Of the 21 patients 12 attained complete remission with a mean disease-free interval of 18.0 months (range 3 to 42), 3 with partial remission were rendered disease-free with transurethral resection or neodymium:YAG laser coagulation and 6 underwent cystectomy. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with refractory superficial bladder cancer the bladder can be preserved by use of photodynamic therapy.
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Kriegmair et al. (1995) studied this question.