Laser-assisted fluorescence microscopy proved a powerful method for quantitative in vivo measurement of HpD fluorescence. Therefore the aim of the present work was to study the distribution of HpD in tumor vs. adjacent tumor-free tissue of 10 animals over a period of 8 days. We measured additionally the differences in HpD uptake in different tumor subcompartments. In tumor tissue HpD fluorescence showed maximum values 5-9 hours after i.v. application of the drug. The relation tumor-free tissue at that time was about 3-8. The third day of examination showed nearly identical values for both tissues. Between day 5 and day 8 we found an increase of HpD contents in tumor vs. normal tissue in 50% of the examined animals. Comparative measurements in the tumor centre and the tumor edge showed a preferential uptake of HpD in the tumor edge area. Probably the higher retention of HpD in this area is due to the oedema zone surrounding the tumor and to extravasation of HpD.