Efficiency of autofluorescence diagnosis and photodynamic therapy (PDT) of bladder tumors: our own experience

The efficiency of autofluorescence diagnosis within urinary bladder was analyzed in the study. We examined two groups of patients: the first one consisting of 22 patients suspected to have bladder cancer and the second one consisting of 45 patients who have undergone transurethral electro resection due to urinary bladder neoplasms. Our goal was to detect cancerous tissue invisible in white-light examination. In the first group sensitivity was 100 percent and specificity was 69.23 percent. In the second group sensitivity was 96 percent and specificity was 80 percent. We also report in the study treatment efficiency of PDT in 12 patients with superficial bladder cancer. In our procedure two hours after the instillation of bladder with ALA solution, the lesion was irradiated by laser light. In 9 out of 12 treated patients regression of bladder tumor was obtained, while in 3 cases a progression of neoplasmatic process was observed.