In vivo tumor oxygen tension measurements for the evaluation of the efficiency of photodynamic therapy.

Among the sequence of events which occur during photodynamic therapy (PDT) are depletion of oxygen and disruption of tumor blood flow. In order to more clearly understand these phenomena we have utilized transcutaneous oxygen electrodes to monitor tissue oxygen disappearance. These results provide, for the first time, non-invasive real-time information regarding the influence of light dose on tissue oxygenation during irradiation. Measurements were conducted on transplanted VX-2 skin carcinomas grown in the ears of New Zealand white rabbits. Rabbits were treated with Photofrin II and tumors were irradiated with up to 200 kJ/m2 (500 W/m2) of 630-nm light. Substantial reductions in tumor oxygen tension were observed upon administration of as little as 20 kJ/m2. For a series of brief irradiations, oxygen tension was modulated by the appearance of laser light. Tissue oxygen reversibility appeared to be dependent upon PDT dose. Long-term, irreversible tissue hypoxia was recorded in tumors for large (200 kJ/m2) fluences. These results suggest that transcutaneous oxygen tension may be useful as a general indicator of the effectiveness of PDT and as an in situ predictor of the energy required to elicit tumor damage.