Photodynamic Therapy

What is Photodynamic Therapy?

Photodynamic therapy also known as PDT uses photosensitizers, tissue oxygen and light to stop the spreading of cancer and also destroy cancer cells. Unlike other traditional treatments of mesothelioma, this modern way of treatment has very few side-effects. Recently, it is very popular in treating Mesothelioma, skin diseases like psoriasis, acne, skin cancers, oesophageal cancer (esophageal cancer) and non-small cell lung cancers. PDT can target virals and bacteria like Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA). PDT is most promising cancer therapies; it is still in its progressive stage. Photodynamic therapy is really helpful to improve quality of life of mesothelioma patient and also ease the symptoms regarding this disease.

Working of PDT

When light of certain type and wavelength is exposed to a photosensitizer, produces oxygen that destroys cancer cells in that particular region. It is also very useful when coming up in damaging the blood vessels, which provide feed to the tumors due to this the growth will stop.  An assumption is being made that PDT can also trigger the immune system of the patient.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have approved many photosensitizers uptill now. PDT is a two step therapeutic process and the very first step is to administrate these photosensitizers. In the beginning when a patient visits to a hospital, he/she will first inject the drug into the blood. This drug is absorbed by all the cells of the body, but it is more absorbed by the cancer cells as compared to the healthier ones. After this step, the patient should visit the clinic again and this time his/her tumor will be exposed to the laser light (connected to a thin fiber optic thread that can be tucked close to the tumor). Generally, the tumor is being exposed to light for 5-45 minutes. But it all depends on location or size of the tumor and the goal of the doctor. If due to this any dead tissue occurs it will be removed by endoscopy after 4-5 days.  

Are there any side-effects of PDT?

• Anxiety at the place of treatment

• Bruising or swelling

• For one month patient will feel sensitivity towards light, so for this reason he/she should cover himself/herself when going outside and for inside keep the indoor lights dim until the sensitivity stops.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is truly a very promising way of treatment. But it is not yet used as an only treatment although it showed really positive results. More photosensitizers and photodynamic drugs are trying to be discovered by the researchers so that it can target specific cancer cells and deeper tumors.

I am personally really hopeful and optimistic for this way of treatment and what about you?