Lance Mynderse, M.D., Mayo Clinic urologist discusses results of a large, multicenter international bladder cancer clinical trial.
The study compared use of the traditional white-light cystoscopy with photodynamic diagnosis using a special light source and lenses that can switch from white to blue light. The blue light is designed for use with the study drug (hexaminolevulinate), which is instilled into a patient’s bladder prior to the therapeutic procedure. This acts as a prodrug that initiates a series of biochemical reactions in malignant cells which result in significant, preferential accumulation of photoactive porphryins. When the blue light is turned on, the tumors emit a red fluorescence. The cancers appear bright red compared to normal tissue, which is a lighter blue-green.
The findings, which are being reported at the annual meeting of the American Urological Association, show that this new diagnostic technique found more of the most common bladder tumors than the traditional white-light detection method in almost 17 percent of the patients, and demonstrated a 22 percent relative reduction in the recurrence rate within nine months of the procedure.
One Comment
How much cost of this light sourse and Lense? Is there any way to see a video of the procedure. I think it would be much benificial. Thanks Mayo clinic.