Pubmed Cancer Articles

PDT is an FDA approved treatment platform for many decades and there are many, many articles that document the beneficial effects of this treatment.  A list of various cancer indications that respond to PDT are listed below:

1.  Photodynamic therapy (PDT) of cancer: from local to systemic treatment.

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Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) requires a medical device, a photosensitizing drug and adequate use of both to trigger biological mechanisms that can rapidly destroy the primary tumour and provide long-lasting protection against metastasis. We present a multidisciplinary view of the issues raised by the development of PDT. We show how spectroscopy, photophysics, photochemistry and pharmacokinetics of photosensitizers determine the mechanism of cell death and clinical protocols. Various examples of combinations with chemotherapies and immunotherapies illustrate the opportunities to potentiate the outcome of PDT. Particular emphasis is given to the mechanisms that can be exploited to establish PDT as a systemic treatment of solid tumours and metastatic disease.

 

2.  Photodynamic therapy in head and neck cancer: indications, outcomes, and future prospects.

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Abstract
RECENT FINDINGS:
Although PDT and surgery have a similar local control and recurrence rate, the gold standard of treatment for early-stage oral cavity cancer remains local surgery with, on indication, concurrent treatment of the neck. PDT proves its value in treatment of patients with field cancerization and patients with superficial recurrence after previous surgery and/or radiation, in whom surgical salvage would entail important morbidity.  Recent progress in the field of PDT focuses on development and clinical application of new photosensitizing agents, photochemical internalization, and photoimmunotherapy.

SUMMARY:
The value of PDT in specific well-selected head and neck cancer clinical scenarios is well established. 

 

3   Photodynamic Therapy for Lung Cancer

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Abstract

In Japan, Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is recommended as a treatment option for centrally located early-stage lung cancers (CLELCs). It is a minimally invasive treatment with excellent anti-tumor effects. The 2nd generation photosensitizer, talaporfin sodium has strong anti-tumor effects with much less photosensitivity than porfimer sodium. Moreover, the laser equipment is compact and portable, and talaporfin sodium is now the current mainstay of PDT for lung cancer. For successful PDT, accurate evaluation of tumor extent and bronchial invasion is crucial. Detailed examination of the tumor using autofluorescence bronchoscopy and endobronchial ultrasonography or optical coherence tomography is extremely useful before PDT. At present, PDT has become the 1st choice of treatment for CLELC in institutions with the necessary equipment. It can also be effective for advanced lung cancer causing tracheobronchial obstruction. With such advances in PDT for CLELC, we are expanding the indications of PDT for not only CLELC, but also peripheral type lung cancer.

 

4  Success of photodynamic therapy in palliating patients with nonresectable cholangiocarcinoma: A systematic review and meta-analysisIn palliation of unresectable cholangiocarcinoma,

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Conclusion: PDT seems to be significantly superior to BS alone. PDT should be used as an adjunct to biliary stenting in these patients.

 

5 Brain tumors

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Photodynamic Therapy for Malignant Brain TumorsPhotodynamic therapy (PDT) using talaporfin sodium together with a semiconductor laser was approved in Japan in October 2003 as a less invasive therapy for early-stage lung cancer. The author believes that the principle of PDT would be applicable for controlling the invading front of malignant brain tumors and verified its efficacy through experiments using glioma cell lines and glioma xenograft models. An investigator-initiated clinical study was jointly conducted with Tokyo Women's Medical University with the support of the Japan Medical Association. Patient enrollment was started in May 2009 and a total of 27 patients were enrolled by March 2012. Of 22 patients included in efficacy analysis, 13 patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma showed progression-free survival of 12 months, progression-free survival at the site of laser irradiation of 20 months, 1-year survival of 100%, and overall survival of 24.8 months. In addition, the safety analysis of the 27 patients showed that adverse events directly related to PDT were mild. PDT was approved in Japan for health insurance coverage as a new intraoperative therapy with the indication for malignant brain tumors in September 2013. Currently, the post-marketing investigation in the accumulated patients has been conducted, and the preparation of guidelines, holding training courses, and dissemination of information on the safe implementation of PDT using web sites and videos, have been promoted. PDT is expected to be a breakthrough for the treatment of malignant glioma as a tumor cell-selective less invasive therapy for the infiltrated functional brain area.

 

6.  Thyroid Cancer

Hypericin-assisted photodynamic therapy against anaplastic thyroid cancer.

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The rate of FRO cell death was increased by applying HYP dose and laser power dependent. Moreover, HYP and laser irradiation induced FRO cell death was mediated by the intracellular ROS generation and mitochondrial damage. Finally, the HYP-assisted PDT eliminated FRO cell tumor from the mouse in vivo. These data demonstrate that HYP could be an effective photosensitizer for human ATC (Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer) therapy.

 

7  Squamous cell skin cancer

A synthesis of the world's guidelines on photodynamic therapy for non-melanoma skin cancer

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Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), using topically administered photosensitizing agents, is widely approved as a treatment for certain nonmelanoma skin cancers. As a tissue-sparing non-surgical modality, there is great potential for PDT to enhance the choice of therapies available to treat, and potentially prevent, skin cancer. Treatment-specific guidelines have assessed the evidence for various photosensitizing agents and light sources, dosimetry, and evaluate reported adverse effects. Discomfort is frequently experienced during treatment but no analgesia was required in most pivotal lesion-directed studies. Durability of response has been assessed with studies of PDT for basal cell carcinomas (BCC) extending to 5 years and beyond, 2 years for Bowen's disease and up to 1 year for actinic keratoses (AK). Disease-specific guidelines consider the place for topical PDT in routine clinical practice recognizing that PDT is typically office/clinic-based and usually initiated by specialists. Where updated guidelines are awaited, national and international consensus publications offer recommendations, including on the use of daylight to activate the photosensitizer for treating AK. Reviewed studies indicate equivalent efficacy of daylight PDT, but greatly reduced pain compared with conventional PDT. Guidelines and consensus publications also consider the place of PDT in treating skin lesions arising in organ transplant recipients and in the potential for PDT to delay/prevent the development of nonmelanoma skin cancers. There is now a substantial evidence-base to support the use of topical PDT in routine clinical practice with daylight PDT indicated for AK, providing suitable outside climate, whilst conventional PDT remains suitable for AK, Bowen's Disease, superficial and certain thin nodular BCC

 

8 Esophageal Cancer

[Comparison between photodynamic therapy and interventional esophageal stent implantation in dysphagia caused by advanced esophageal cancer].

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Objective: To compare the safety and efficacy of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and esophageal stent implantation in improving dysphagia caused by malignant obstruction of middle and advanced esophageal cancer. Methods: A total of 45 patients treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University and Qingdao Huangdao District Central Hospital from January 2017 to January 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, of which 34 cases were males and 11 cases were females, 29 cases with the age beyond 60 years old, 41 cases were squamous carcinoma, 4 were adenocarcinoma. PDT was applied to 20 patients and 25 patients received esophageal carotid stenting implantation. There was no significant difference in gender, age, pathological type, location and stage between the two groups. Before treatment, 3 days, 1 month and 3 months after treatment, dysphagia was compared according to Stooler grading criteria, and also the time that patients experienced dysphagia again post treatment. Results: There were no statistical differences between the two groups in dysphagia grade change in 3 days, 1 month and 3 months after treatment (all P>0.05), The stent groups showed advantages towards the PDT group 3 days after treatment in patients with Stooler grading 0 (40%(10/25) vs 0(0/20), P<0.05). No significant differences were found between two groups with Stooler grading 0 (P>0.05) in 1 month and 3 months after treatment. Obstruction symptoms occurred earlier in the stent group compared with the PDT group (P<0.05). Conclusion:Esophageal stent can relieve the symptoms of dysphagia immediately after the implantation, while photodynamic therapy can also prolong the time of esophageal re-obstruction in addition to the immediate effect, with proved safety and efficacy in the treatment of middle and advanced esophageal cancer

 

9  Current Status and Future Perspectives of Sonodynamic Therapy in Glioma Treatment

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Abstract

Malignant glioma is one of the most challenging central nervous system diseases to treat, and has high rates of recurrence and mortality. The current therapies include surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, although these approaches often failed to control tumor progression or improve patient survival. Sonodynamic therapy is a developing cancer treatment that uses ultrasound combined with a sonosensitizer to synergistically kill tumor cells, and has provided impressive results in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The ultrasound waves can penetrate deep tissues and reversibly open the blood-brain barrier to enhance drug delivery to the brain. Thus, sonodynamic therapy has a promising potential in glioma treatment. In this review, we summarize the studies that have confirmed the pre-clinical efficacy of sonodynamic therapy for glioma treatment, and discuss the future directions for this emerging treatment.