Photodynamic Therapy

One of the innovative Cancer Treatment Centers of America facilities offers a promising new FDA-approved treatment called photodynamic therapy (PDT). It is presently being used for esophageal cancer, and early stage lung cancer (excluding mesothelioma), where it has been shown to be more than 90 percent effective. It is also being utilized as an investigational therapy for obstructive lung cancer, Barrett's esophagus, head and neck cancer, and skin cancer. Skin cancers (basal cell and squamous cell), may also be effectively treated with PDT.

PDT is a two-step procedure that is done on an outpatient basis. You will be injected with a light-activated drug (Photofrin), which targets cancerous cells. Approximately 24-48 hours later, a laser light is directed through a scope onto tumor cells, exposing the cancerous tissue to a certain spectrum of light. The light "switches on" the drug, destroying the cancerous cells without damaging your surrounding healthy tissue.

The benefits of PDT include:

• It is performed on an outpatient basis
• It is relatively pain free
• PDT requires minimal sedation
• The treatment involves less risk than surgical procedures
• There are minimal side effects.

There are two possible main side effects possible with PDT:

• Local swelling inflammation, which may occur in and around your esophagus and lungs, causing some discomfort.
• All PDT patients experience photosensitivity for approximately 30 days due to the continued presence of the drug in the body. From the time you receive an injection of Photofrin, your skin and eyes will be sensitive to bright light. You should avoid exposure to bright light or direct sunlight to prevent sunburn, redness, and swelling. Normal indoor lighting, television and computer exposure are fine.

Other potential side effects include: nausea, fever and/or constipation. These usually subside in 48-72 hours.

About the light source used:

• A low-power laser is used, which is not the same type used in laser surgery. The light used in PDT is non-thermal, meaning no heat is involved.
• The laser is administered through a fiberoptic guide that is passed through an endoscope (a thin tube placed down your throat). Fiberoptic guides are thin, flexible, transparent strands, similar to the thinness of fishing lines, which are specially designed to conduct laser light. Lung cancers are reached via bronchoscope.