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The Novel Concept and Treatments for Cancer

Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a special modality for cancers which combines a drug (called a photosensitizer or photosensitizing agent) with a specific type of light to kill cancer cells

Advantages

Relatively selective and specific for tumorous cells
Actually it is effective for all kinds of tumors
The cure rate is high as 90% for some early cancer (esophageal and lung cancer),for advanced cancer it make more than 70% of patients to be improved
No toxicity,no immunosuppression and bone marrow suppression
No effect on other therapies (chemo/radiotherapies) and they have a complementary effect
Short treatment time and efficacy occurs during 48-72 hours

Clinical use

Oral- pharygeal tumor
Early oral, nosal and nasopharygeal cancer: PDT had effective rates of 75%-100%.

Esophageal cancer

PDT had radical effect for early esophageal cancer
PDT can effectively ameliorate obstruction of advanced esophageal carcinoma
Very effective for cervical esophageal cancer
Able to treat undermucosal disseminated and latent cancer
For cancer which grows into intracavity and stent has been placed, PDT can eradicate neoplasm in cavity

Barrett esophagus

PDT not only can effectively eradicate Barrett epithelium, but has good result for early adenocarcinoma.

Lung cancer

For lung cancer with bronchial obstruction, PDT induces improvement of air-way obstruction
For early bronchial cancer, PDT has the cure rate of 90%; for obstructive cancer, the improvement rate of 85%

Gastric cancer

PDT can eradicate cancer for 80% of early gastric cancer
PDT can improve symptoms of advanced gastric cancer

Bladder cancer

Cancer in situ can be eradicated by PDT. Seventy-one percent of advanced cases had got improvement after PDT.

Other cancer for which PDT is effective Colon-rectal carcinoma, cholangio-carcinoma (especially bile duct cancer in hepatic hilum, pancreatic carcinoma and cancer of Vater's ampulla, tumor in abdominal cavity, pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma, liver cancer, brain tumor?tumors of genitourinary tract?skin and subcutaneous tumor.