A trial looking at photodynamic therapy (PDT) for brain tumours

This trial was looking at whether photodynamic therapy alongside surgery is helpful for people who have just been diagnosed with a type of brain tumour called glioblastoma multiforme (GBM).

The first treatment for GBM is usually surgery, followed by radiotherapy. In this trial, researchers looked at adding photodynamic therapy to this standard treatment.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment that uses light. Trials had already taken place using PDT for brain tumours that had come back after treatment. This trial was looking PDT alongside surgery and radiotherapy as a first treatment.

People having photodynamic therapy in this trial had 2 drugs before they had surgery. The first of these drugs was called 5-ALA. It makes brain tumour cells glow red under ultra violet light. During surgery, the surgeon used an ultra violet light on a microscope to look for tumour cells that glow red and removed as many of these as possible.

The other drug was Photofrin. This drug is absorbed by cancer cells and is activated by light. A bright light was shone into the area where the brain tumour had been removed soon after surgery, and then once on each of the next 4 days. This activated the drug and helped to kill any cells that had been left behind.