Topical application of photofrin^® for oral neoplasms in animal

Early diagnosis improves oral cancer prognosis. Exact demarcation of tumor margins improves surgical outcomes. This study evaluates Photofrin ^® fluorescence: a new diagnostic procedure for detection of oral neoplasms in animal models. Fourteen male Golden Syrian hamsters were used. 0. 5% D.M.B.A (9,10 dimethyl1-1,2-benzanethracene) was brushed onto cheek pouches bilaterally daily for 2,weeks. Hamsters with oral neoplasms received 2.5,mg/ml Photofrin^® solution topically. After 3h the neoplasms underwent fluorescence illumination (λex=380-420,nm). A quantitative analysis of the fluorescence contrast between the neoplastic and surrounding tissue was performed using the RGB Mode and the Gray Scale. (GS) Statistical analysis was performed using the ANOVA test. Analysis of the 14 hamsters' 28 biopsies revealed 4 (14.3%) displayed squamous hyperplasia (1 mild, 3 severe) and 24 (85.7%) displayed squamous cell carcinoma. The sensitivity of neoplasms evaluated using the RGB and GS modes combined resulted in 92.15% (in vivo macroscopic image) and 93.45% (histological). The specificity of neoplasms evaluated via RGB and GS modes combined resulted in 94.78% (in vivo macroscopic image) and 97.30% (histological). The difference between healthy tissue and the lesions as a group is statistically significant. Photofrin^® fluorescence provides a sensitive, non-invasive technique for early identification of malignant neoplasms in the oral cavities of animal models.