PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY OF HUMAN OVARIAN EPITHELIAL CARCINOMA, OVCAR-3, HETEROTRANSPLANTED IN THE NUDE-MOUSE

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to develop an animal model for the study of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of human ovarian epithelial carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: The human ovarian carcinoma OVCAR-3 was heterotransplanted into nude, athymic mice and treated with photodynamic therapy consisting of the hematoporphyrin derivative Photofrin II 10 ng/kg and argon-pumped dye laser light at 630 nm (200 J/cm2). Growth of tumors on one side of seven mice (treated tumors, n = 7) was compared with contralateral tumors (control tumors, n = 8) not exposed to laser. Hematoporphyrin derivative uptake was determined in tumor and other tissues. RESULTS: Photodynamically treated tumors were completely ablated, and all remained absent. Hematoporphyrin derivative uptake was nonselective for tumor compared with other tissues. CONCLUSION: This model provides reproducible parameters for the study of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of gynecologic malignancies and demonstrates the need for methods to increase selective uptake of hematoporphyrin derivatives.