Melanoma: Surgery Subsequent to PDT—Is It Worth Doing? A 10-Year Pilot Trial Using Chlorin-Type Photosensitizer Bremachlorin^&reg

Abstract

Bremachlorin &reg , also known as “Radachlorin &reg ” and Photochlorin, a composition of 3 chlorophyll a derivatives in an aqueous solution [1] , was initially introduced into the Russian and South Korean Pharmacopoeias with the corresponding marketing authorizations received in 2006 and 2008, on the basal cell skin carcinoma PDT protocol. Phase I-II clinical trials led in 2002-2005 showed no side effects, a good tolerability by patients and a high clinical anti-tumor efficacy. Further studies described in the present paper were fulfilled in accordance with a skin melanoma PDT + surgery combined technique protocol in 2006-2016. Resulting from the present trial, up to the 100% complete responses were achieved after resection and plastic surgery following PDT, with no melanoma regrowth or metastases during 5 and 10-year observation periods. Conducting PDT one day prior to tumor dissection can guarantee to meet the ablastics principles at the subsequent surgery. At the same time, the PDT + surgery protocol can allow for dissecting the tumor with less distance from its edge, which seems to be important for the face localizations of tumors.