The effect of glucose and temperature on the in vivo efficiency of photochemotherapy with meso-tetra-hydroxyphenyl-chlorin

Balb/c athymic nude mice bearing WiDr human colon adenocarcinoma have been employed to investigate the effect of glucose administration, cooling or slight heating on the anti-tumor activity of photochemotherapy (PCT) with meso-tetra-hydroxyphenyl-chlorin (mTHPC). An apparent delay in the tumor growth is found by combining PCT with either single or multiple injections of glucose. The anti-tumor effect of PCT is slightly enhanced by cooling the tumor to 5°C. Cooling also enhances the efficiency of PCT and glucose injection combined. Heating the tumor to 37°C has no significant effect on either PCT alone or on the combination of PCT and glucose injection. Furthermore, the kinetics of the accumulation of mTHPC in tissue have been studied. Single or multiple injections of glucose have an enhancing effect on the accumulation of mTHPC in the tumor.