PhotoCure ASA: Hexvix recommended for diagnosis of bladder cancer
Blue light fluorescence cystoscopy, such as PhotoCure's Hexvix, is recommended by the European Association of urology in newly developed guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of urothelial carcinoma in situ (CIS). The guidelines also recommend that CIS be regarded as highly malignant. The guidelines were published in the September issue of the scientific journal European Urology.
"The inclusion of Hexvix in the European guidelines is an endorsement of the medical benefits of our technology and will greatly increase knowledge of our product as it is about to be introduced on European markets," says Kjetil Hestdal, CEO of PhotoCure.
The new guidelines state that "while it may be a precursor of invasive bladder cancer, the histological and cytological aspects of CIS make this an overtly malignant entity in itself." They find that fluorescence cystoscopy "will reveal areas in the bladder that are suspicious for CIS and that cannot be seen with white-light cystoscopy." Although the use of fluorescence cystoscopy improves the detection rate of CIS to more than 95% it has not yet been implemented on a regular basis in daily practice.
The guidelines are based on review of all published scientific papers. These are then discussed and approved by the European Association of Urology. These guidelines represent state-of-the-art of diagnosis and treatment of CIS.
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