Neoadjuvant vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy improves survival and reduces recurrence and progression in a mouse model of urothelial cancer.

ABSTRACT: Locally advanced urothelial cancer has high recurrence and progression rates following surgical treatment. This highlights the need to develop neoadjuvant strategies that are both effective and well-tolerated. We hypothesized that neoadjuvant sub-ablative vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy (sbVTP), through its immunotherapeutic mechanism, would improve survival and reduce recurrence and progression in a murine model of urothelial cancer. After urothelial tumor implantation and 17 days before surgical resection, mice received neoadjuvant sbVTP (WST11; Tookad Soluble, Steba Biotech, France). Local and systemic response and survival served as measures of therapeutic efficacy, while immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry elucidated the immunotherapeutic mechanism. Data analysis included two-sided Kaplan-Meier, Mann-Whitney, and Fischer exact tests. Tumor volume was significantly smaller in sbVTP-treated animals than in controls (135 mm³ vs. 1222 mm³, P?

SUBMITTER: Rosenzweig B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7921650 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature