Abstract
Laser endoscopic surgery has now achieved a status as effective treatment modality for lung cancer. Especially the effectiveness of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using Photofrin as a photosensitizer was demonstrated in our institution in 1980 for the treatment of lung cancers, and increasing attention has been focused on this new treatment technique. Over the past decade, 211 patients (253 lesions) with central type lung cancers have been treated in our hospital. Overall complete remission was obtained in 36.6% of the 92 lesions, significant remission in 62.2% and no remission was obtained in 1.2%. However, among 76 early stage lesions CR was obtained in 51 (67.1%) and 48 cases were disease free in 1 to 158 months. Other options of PDT are for advanced lesions for opening of bronchi and for preoperative laser irradiation for the propose of increasing operability and reducing the extent of operation.
