Photodynamic therapy of spontaneous cancers in felines, canines, and snakes with chloro-aluminum sulfonated phthalocyanine.

This is the first report on the photodynamic treatment with a second-generation sensitizer, chloro-aluminum sulfonated phthalocyanine (CASPc) of spontaneously arising tumors and on the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of snake neoplasms. Each of 10 cats, 2 dogs, and 3 snakes presenting with a variety of tumor types (squamous cell carcinoma, mast cell malignant tumor, and mixed carcinoma/sarcoma) was given an intravenous injection of 1 mg of CASPc per kilogram body weight 48 hours prior to irradiation with 675-nm light. Some larger tumors (greater than 1.5 cm deep) were surgically debulked prior to PDT. No significant systemic toxicity or skin photosensitization was observed in any animal. The tumor responses were comparable to those seen with conventional cryotherapy, hyperthermia, or surgery. PDT with CASPc of these cases led to 67% (12 of 18) complete response, 22% (4 of 18) partial response, and 11% (2 of 18) no response (less than 50% reduction in tumor size). Four cases could not be evaluated. Since the overall tumor response to CASPc is very good, and the problem of skin photosensitivity is nonexistent, it is expected that using CASPc-PDT to eradicate human tumors would also yield comparable results. Further studies with long-term follow-up are necessary to optimize the use of CASPc-PDT in veterinary and human medicine.