Under what circumstances can photodynamic therapy be used to treat cancer? Why not more?
Photodynamic therapy is a cancer treatment in which a patient receives (typically by vein) a special light sensitive drug followed by the delivery of a specific type of laser light to a tumor. The drug in the tumor is activated by laser light which kills cancer cells. We can focus the laser light on a tumor and minimize the amount of laser light on the normal tissues thereby limiting side effects. Currently photodynamic therapy is approved by the FDA in lung cancer for the treatment of tumors within the trachea or bronchus (breathing tubes) that are causing obstruction. It is also approved for esophageal cancers that are causing obstruction of the esophagus (swallowing tube) and some precancerous conditions of the esophagus and skin.
Photodynamic therapy cannot be used for all cancers because it is not possible to delivery an adequate dose of laser light to some tumors. In other words, they may be inaccessible. At Penn Medicine, we have one of the largest photodynamic therapy research programs in the world and are currently studying its use in patients with a tumor the chest called mesothelioma.
Photodynamic therapy cannot be used for all cancers because it is not possible to delivery an adequate dose of laser light to some tumors. In other words, they may be inaccessible. At Penn Medicine, we have one of the largest photodynamic therapy research programs in the world and are currently studying its use in patients with a tumor the chest called mesothelioma.
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