Potentiation of the anti-tumour effects of Photofrin®-based photodynamic therapy by localized treatment with G-CSF

• Published in: British journal of cancer 2000-04, Vol.82 (8), p.1485-1491
• Main Authors: Goląb, J, Wilczyński, G, Zagożdżon, R, Stoklosa, T, Dąbrowska, A, Rybczyńska, J, Wąsik, M, Machaj, E, Oldak, T, Kozar, K, Kamiński, R, Giermasz, A, Czajka, A, Lasek, W, Feleszko, W, Jakóbisiak, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - drug therapy; Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Bone Marrow Cells - pathology; Cancer Research; Cancer therapies; Clinical trials; Colonic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Colonic Neoplasms - pathology; Colony-Forming Units Assay; Combined Modality Therapy; Combined treatment; Dihematoporphyrin Ether - therapeutic use; Drug Resistance; Epidemiology; Experiments; Filgrastim; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor - therapeutic use; Granulocytes; Hematology; Hematopoietic Stem Cells - drug effects; Hematopoietic Stem Cells - pathology; Humans; Immunology; Leukocytes; Medical research; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred DBA; Molecular Medicine; Neutrophils; Oncology; Photochemotherapy; Photodynamic therapy; Recombinant Proteins; Regular; regular-article; Spleen - pathology; Treatment. General aspects; Tumors
• ISSN: 0007-0920; 1532-1827
• DOI: 10.1054/bjoc.1999.1078

Photofrin ® -based photodynamic therapy (PDT) has recently been approved for palliative and curative purposes in cancer patients. It has been demonstrated that neutrophils are indispensable for its anti-tumour effectiveness. We decided to evaluate the extent of the anti-tumour effectiveness of PDT combined with administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) as well as the influence of Photofrin ® and G-CSF on the myelopoiesis and functional activity of neutrophils in mice. An intensive treatment with G-CSF significantly potentiated anti-tumour effectiveness of Photofrin ® -based PDT resulting in a reduction of tumour growth and prolongation of the survival time of mice bearing two different tumours: colon-26 and Lewis lung carcinoma. Moreover, 33% of C-26-bearing mice were completely cured of their tumours after combined therapy and developed a specific and long-lasting immunity. The tumours treated with both agents contained more infiltrating neutrophils and apoptotic cells then tumours treated with either G-CSF or PDT only. Importantly, simultaneous administration of Photofrin ® and G-CSF stimulated bone marrow and spleen myelopoiesis that resulted in an increased number of neutrophils demonstrating functional characteristics of activation. Potentiated anti-tumour effects of Photofrin ® -based PDT combined with G-CSF observed in two murine tumour models suggest that clinical trials using this tumour therapy protocol would be worth pursuing. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign