Huang, Z., Chen, Q., Trncic, N., LaRue, S. M., Brun, P., Wilson, B. C., Shapiro, H. and Hetzel, F. W. Effects of Pd-bacteriopheophorbide (TOOKAD)-Mediated Photodynamic Therapy on Canine Prostate Pretreated with Ionizing Radiation. Radiat. Res. 161, 723–731 (2004).

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using a novel palladium bacteriopherophorbide photosensitizer TOOKAD (WST09) on canine prostate that had been pretreated with ionizing radiation. To produce a physiological and anatomical environment in canine prostate similar to that in patients for whom radiotherapy has failed, canine prostates (n = 4) were exposed to ionizing radiation (54 Gy) 5 to 6 months prior to interstitial TOOKAD-mediated PDT. Light irradiation (763 nm, 50–200 J/cm at 150 mW/cm from a 1-cm cylindrical diffusing fiber) was delivered during intravenous infusion of TOOKAD at 2 mg/kg over 10 min. Interstitial measurements of tissue oxygen profile (pO₂) and of local light fluence rate were also measured. The prostates were harvested for histological examination 1 week after PDT. The baseline pO₂ of preirradiated prostate was in the range 10–44 mmHg. The changes in relative light fluence rate during PDT ranged from 12 to 43%. The acute lesions were characterized by hemorrhagic necrosis, clearly distinguishable from the radiotherapy-induced pre-existing fibrosis. The lesion size was correlated with light fluence and comparable to that in unirradiated prostate treated with a similar TOOKAD-PDT protocol. There was no noticeable damage to the urethra, bladder or adjacent colon. The preliminary results obtained from a small number of animals indicate that TOOKAD-PDT can effectively ablate prostate pretreated with ionizing radiation, and so it may provide an alternative modality for those prostate cancer patients for whom radiotherapy has failed.