ABSTRACT
The purpose of photodynamic therapy (PDT) is not only to improve the quality of life by adjuvant therapy after PDT in advanced cancer cases, but also to cur-atively treat early stage cancer. PDT is being performed in many institutions in Japan, where 887 cancer cases of various organs have been treated. In Japan, Phase II studies employing PDT have been performed in early stage cancer cases of the lung, esophagus, stomach, bladder, and cervix, using Photofrin II (PII) since January 1989, but only the results of the lung studies will be reported here because of the limited patient number for the other treatment sites. The therapeutic results of PDT and indications of PDT in early stage lung cancer have been described. Naturally, better results are obtained in early stage cancer than in advanced cases. PDT should be performed in early stage cancer patients for whom surgery is impossible.
