COMBINED EFFECTS OF SELECTIVE PHOTOTHERMAL THERAPY AND IMMUNOADJUVANT AGAINST STAGE IV BREAST CANCER

Abstract

Metastasis to distant sites is a severe treatment challenge and a major cause of death for breast cancer patients. Laser immunotherapy (LIT) is a novel technique, combining a selective photothermal therapy with local application of glycated chitosan, a potent immunoadjuvant. The pre-clinical studies of LIT have shown its unique characteristics in generating specific antitumor immunity. The clinical application of LIT in the treatment of melanoma patients has achieved preliminary success. Recently, LIT has been used to treat late-stage breast cancer patients. Here we report for the first time the clinical results of this combination therapy in breast cancer patients. The LIT treatment procedures are presented and the medical history of two stage IV breast cancer patients is reviewed. Most of the breast cancer lesions and the metastasis of lung and brain disappeared after repeated treatments of LIT. One patient achieved complete response; the other achieved partial response at the time of this report. Although there is still a long way for LIT to become a standard modality for breast cancer treatment, the results of this study indicated its promising future.