GE HEALTHCARE HEXVIX SYMPOSIUM DURING THE SIU CONGRESS IN PARIS
Oslo, Norway, 20 September 2007.
GE Healthcare gathered 300 urologists from all parts of the world to their Hexvix symposium during the SIU congress (Société Internationale d'Urologie), in Paris, September 2007.
"PDD (photodynamic diagnosis) is recommended in the EAU guidelines for CIS and Ta/T1 bladder cancer, and has become a routine diagnostic procedure in our clinic, with more than 500 procedures per year".
Professor Christian Stief, Ludwig Maxmillians Universität München.
The annual SIU congress gathered urologists from all parts of the world. 300 urologists found their way to the GE Healthcare Satellite Symposium. Mark Soloway (University of Miami) opened the symposium by asking: Bladder cancer - still in the shadows? "Bladder cancer is a common disease, with high financial costs for healthcare systems and for society. There is a low level of awareness amongst physicians and patients of the risk factors associated with this disease and of the necessity for an early, accurate diagnosis to optimize management."
Professor Fred Witjes from Nijmegen Medical Centre in the Netherlands gave a lecture on Hexvix in bladder cancer management. He concluded with: "As improved tumour visualization may result in more complete tumour removal, fluorescence cystoscopy may reduce recurrence rates. Long-term studies of the impact of Hexvix are on-going. The technique is well tolerated and provides a useful adjunct to white light cystoscopy. "
Finally, the practical implications of incorporating Hexvix into routine clinical practice, was discussed by Professor Christian Stief (Ludwig Maxmillians Universität München). He focused on the possibility of early detection and possibility of treatment of recurrent disease to optimize management of bladder cancer. After years with the method he concluded that "PDD is recommended in the EAU guidelines for CIS and Ta/T1 bladder cancer, and has become a routine diagnostic procedure in our clinic, with more than 500 procedures/year".
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Photocure ASA is a Norwegian pharmaceutical company listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange. The company develops and sells pharmaceuticals and medical devices for the photodynamic treatment and diagnosis of different types of cancer.
Photocure has three products on the market: Metvix® cream combined with the Aktilite® lamp for the treatment of sun-damaged skin and certain types of skin cancer, and Hexvix® for the diagnosis of bladder cancer. In addition, the company has several follow-on products and technologies in the pipeline.