Photodynamic therapy in the management of metastatic cutaneous adenocarcinomas: case reports from phase 1/2 studies using tin ethyl etiopurpurin (SnET2).

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVES

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) using a photoreactive purpurin, tin ethyl etiopurpurin (SnET2, Purlytin, Miravant Medical Technologies, Santa Barbara, CA), was investigated as a treatment for cutaneous metastatic disease that had failed other treatment options.

STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Three patients with biopsy-proven metastatic adenocarcinoma of the skin were treated with a single dose of the study drug. Twenty-four hours later, the patients were exposed to a laser light at 664 nm in multiple light fields. Patients were followed for 6 months for safety, efficacy, recurrence, and palliative response.

RESULTS

After PDT with SnET2, complete response was observed in all 13 treated lesions in three patients, with no evidence of recurrence at any treated site at the 6-month follow-up. Two patients subsequently died of distant metastatic disease. One patient with local chest wall recurrence after mastectomy was disease-free 24 months after PDT.

CONCLUSIONS

PDT with SnET2 could be an effective treatment in locally advanced metastatic carcinoma of the skin.