Photodynamic Therapy

Links to news articles on Photodynamic Therapy .

Acid reflux linked to esophageal cancer -- 30 Mar 2006
Other options: Freezing away Barrett's tissue; photodynamic therapy, where a combination of ... only treatment completely proven to prevent esophageal cancer is to ... Louisville Courier-Journal,

Cosmetics tips -- Mar 29, 2006
Photodynamic therapy works because the ALA is a photosensitizing chemical that is applied ... minimal, and that the risk of generating more cancer-producing cells ... Fort Wayne News Sentinel,

Doctors: Heartburn Is Fueling Esophageal Cancer -- Mar 28, 2006
...patient with the potential to go on to cancer," said Keenan. Doctors are now looking at less invasive endoscopic options like photodynamic therapy which uses a ... Pittsburgh Channel.com,

Light Activated Anticancer Drug Targeted To DNA Using Cisplatin ... -- Mar 26, 2006
...drugs against cancer is cisplatin because it attaches to cancer DNA and ... approach to analog development is light activated drugs, or photodynamic therapy (PDT). ... Medical News Today (press release),

Esophageal cancer treated at area hospitals -- Mar 27, 2006
...therapy is a treatment that uses a medication with a photosensitizing agent. The agent is absorbed by cells throughout the body and stays in cancer cells ... Huntington Herald Dispatch,

PDT kills drug-resistant bacteria -- Mar 23, 2006
...undergoing cancer therapy, HIV patients who demonstrate resistance to antibiotics and the elderly with persistent oral infections.". Photodynamic therapy is ... University at Buffalo Reporter,

Photodynamic Therapy May Treat Skin Cancer -- Mar 7, 2006
Originally approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat cancer, dermatologists initially focused on using photodynamic therapy to treat ... Fashion Monitor Toronto,

Photodynamic therapy lighting the way for medical treatments -- Mar 6, 2006
..."Over the years, the uses of photodynamic therapy have expanded beyond the treatment of skin cancer and today it is being used to treat acne-related disorders ... News-Medical.net,

Half a billion in cash, but what to do with it? -- Mar 25, 2006
...“She's the scientist who developed Visudyne as a photodynamic therapy and she ... with QLT's first photodynamic drug, Photofrin, used to treat esophageal cancer. ... Globe and Mail,

Fighting oesophageal cancer -- Mar 24, 2006
...by acid reflux is the only proven method of preventing oesophageal cancer. ... the damage; freezing away the damaged tissue; and photodynamic therapy that uses a ... Health24.com,

Willoughby recovering from cancer treatment -- Mar 26, 2006
...the Birmingham radio legend has been in Knoxville undergoing treatment for esophageal cancer. The procedure - called photodynamic therapy - basically sunburns ... Birmingham News,

HALF A BILLION IN CASH, BUT WHAT TO DO WITH IT? -- Mar 25, 2006
..."She's the scientist who developed Visudyne as a photodynamic therapy and she ... with QLT's first photodynamic drug, Photofrin, used to treat esophageal cancer. ... Globe and Mail,

Laser treatments booming -- Mar 22, 2006
...sebaceous oil glands. A MeDioStar laser kills hair follicles. A photodynamic therapy laser kills acne bacteria and pre-cancer cells. ... Odessa American,

Former Texas Gov. Ann Richards has esophagus cancer -- Mar 9, 2006
Photodynamic therapy (PDT), a type of laser therapy, involves the use of drugs that are absorbed by cancer cells; when exposed to a special light, the drugs ... Food Consumer,

Treatment For Skin Cancer Expands -- Mar 3, 2006
New York, NY (AHN) - For the millions of people who suffer from acne, sun damage or even worse, skin cancer photodynamic therapy or PDT offers hope. ... All Headline News

PDT Kills drug-resistant bacteria, fungus -- Mar 11, 2006
...undergoing cancer therapy, HIV patients who demonstrate resistance to antibiotics and the elderly with persistent oral infections.'. Photodynamic therapy is ... Monsters and Critics.com,

Genaera Announces Interim EVIZON(TM) Phase II (MSI-1256F-209) Data -- Mar 1, 2006
...more pronounced in subjects who did not receive photodynamic therapy with verteporfin ... products in development for the treatment of eye, cancer and respiratory ... PR Newswire (press release),

Docs Debate Esophageal Cancer Treatment -- Mar 21, 2006
...so they can operate at the first sign of cancer when survival is ... Other options: Freezing away Barrett's tissue; photodynamic therapy, where a combination of a ... Washington Post,

New treatments studied for cancer of esophagus -- Mar 20, 2006
...at greater risk — one in five will get full-blown cancer in the ... Other options: Freezing away Barrett's tissue; photodynamic therapy, when a combination of a ... Arizona Daily Star,

After cancer scare, he savors meals -- Mar 14, 2006
...as photodynamic therapy. In the procedure, a chemical called Photofrin is injected into the body. It lingers in high-grade dysplasia and cancer cells even ... The News Journal,

Mehta is new Chairman of Assessment and Accredition Council -- Mar 19, 2006
Prof Mehta a former director of Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore is a well-known expert in chemistry and use of photodynamic therapy for cancer treatments ... NewKerala.com,

Internationally renowned experts join Victhom's urinary ... -- Mar 21, 2006
His other research interests include prostate cancer, benign prostatic hyperplasia, laser application in urology, photodynamic therapy, and erectile dysfunction ... Canada NewsWire (press release),

Gastroenterologists Use Radiofrequency Ablation to Treat Barrett's ... -- Mar 7, 2006
...dysplasia will never develop cancer. But that risk should be significantly lower if this treatment is as effective as photodynamic therapy, another minimally ... eMaxHealth.com,

Diomed Holdings, Inc. to Present at SG Cowen's 26th Annual Health ... -- Feb 28, 2006
Diomed also provides photodynamic therapy (PDT) for use in cancer treatments, and dental and general surgical applications. The ... Genetic Engineering News,

Cancer Drug Fights Macular Degeneration -- 25 Jan 2006
They used a hot laser or a treatment called photodynamic therapy to attack and destroy ... of using Lucentis, which is one binding arm of the cancer drug Avastin ... WFtv.com,

5 Year Metvix-PDT Data Demonstrate Long-Term Efficacy and ... -- Jan 18, 2006
...photodynamic therapy (MAL-PDT) in NMSC compared to current standard treatments cryotherapy and surgery. As NMSC is the most common form of skin cancer in ... DG News

Quest PharmaTech Inc. Receives Health Canada Clearance to Initiate ... -- Jan 11, 2006
...is an expert in topical photodynamic therapy with experiences in both clinical and pre ... a series of products for the treatment of cancer and dermatological ... Canada NewsWire (press release),

Polymer Nanoparticle Kills Tumors -- Jan 12, 2006
Photodynamic therapy (PDT), which uses a light-sensitive chemical known as a photosensitizer ... an important option for the treatment of esophageal cancer and non ... PhysOrg.com,

In this article -- Dec 30, 2005
...cure and if there is an increased risk for uterine cancer as detected ... may be replaced in future by newer, less invasive procedures such photodynamic therapy. ... Health24.com,

Off-label use of cancer drug target of controversy -- Jan 3, 2006
...the Food and Drug Administration in 2004 for the treatment of colon cancer. ... using it on lesions that were poor responders to photodynamic therapy, our current ... Shreveport Times,

Genentech Submits Lucentis BLA For Age-Related AMD -- Dec 30, 2005
...before, and even beat Visudyne (verteporfin), the photodynamic therapy from QLT Inc ... trying Genentech's VEGF inhibitor for colorectal cancer Avastin (bevacizumab ... BioWorld Online (subscription),

Genentech files for blindness drug in USA -- Jan 3, 2006
...trials, and off-label use of Genentech's cancer drug Avastin ... candidate; Miravant Pharmaceuticals, which has a photodynamic therapy - Photrex (rostaporfin; SnET2 ... Pharma Times (subscription),

Debate Over the Use of Anti-VEGF Therapy in Retinal Disease -- Dec 21, 2005
FDA) in 2004 for the treatment of colorectal cancer, and is currently ... CNV) include thermal laser for extrafoveal lesions, photodynamic therapy with verteporfin ... Medscape (subscription)

Diomed Files Summary Judgment Motion in Patent Suit against ... -- Dec 21, 2005
Diomed focuses on EndoVenous Laser Treatment (EVLT(R)) for use in varicose vein treatments, photodynamic therapy (PDT) for use in cancer treatments, and dental ... Business Wire (press release),

Professors receive NIH research funding -- Dec 12, 2005
Photodynamic therapy is a promising treatment of cancer that combines the application of both chemicals and intense light. The chemicals ... Hendrix College Events and News,

Light Sciences gets heavier with venture capital -- Dec 13, 2005
...to destroy cancer cells in the liver: high-intensity ultrasound, freezing the tumor and injecting alcohol into the cancer cells. Photodynamic therapy is an ... Seattle Post Intelligencer

QLT takes some unpleasant medicine -- Dec 9, 2005
...and one that is developing novel therapeutics to target cancer stem cells. ... macular degeneration and the company's lead product in photodynamic therapy (PDT), a ... Vancouver Sun (subscription),

Pilot Study of Cryotherapy Treatment: Esophagus Condition Looks ... -- Dec 1, 2005
...than one percent per year, the risk of developing cancer of the ... EMR), argon plasma coagulation (APC), radio frequency ablation and photodynamic therapy (PDT). ... PR Newswire (press release),

OncoMed Pharmaceuticals Appoints Paul J. Hastings President and ... -- Dec 1, 2005
...in the advancement of therapeutics that target cancer stem cells. ... alliance with Novartis of QLT's anti- blindness photodynamic therapy treatment generating ... PR Newswire (press release),

New lasers deliver swift makeover -- Sep 3, 2005
...effective acne treatments include mid-infrared laser therapy, broadband blue light, intense pulsed light treatments and laser-assisted photodynamic therapy. ... Bradenton Herald,

Altachem Pharma Ltd. Receives Health Canada Clearance to Initiate ... -- Sep 1, 2005
Directorate of Health Canada to initiate a Phase I clinical trial to investigate the topical application of its lead photodynamic therapy (PDT) compound ACP ... PR Newswire (press release),

Altachem Pharma receives clearance for testing of pre-cancer ... -- Sep 1, 2005
Altachem (TSXV:AAF) will test the topical application of its lead photodynamic therapy compound, ACP-SL017, as a treatment for actinic keratosis. ... Canada.com,

DNA-targeted anti-cancer drugs -- Aug 29, 2005
2004 and March 2005, Brewer and her team announced the creation of molecular assemblies that solved two challenges facing photodynamic therapy, or activating ... myDNA.com,

Altachem Pharma Ltd. announces reconstituted Scientific Advisory ... -- Aug 24, 2005
...brings deep knowledge and expertise to the Company's CDK inhibitor program, as well as to the chemistry aspects of Altachem's Photodynamic Therapy products. ... Canada NewsWire (press release),

Advances in the Treatment of AMD -- Aug 19, 2005
Among the highlights were new data on the anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents, further research into photodynamic therapy (PDT), and a look ... Medscape (subscription)

Researchers enhance DNA-targeted anti-cancer drugs -- Aug 30, 2005
This latest research uses Photodynamic therapy (PDT) - a treatment that uses a drug, called a photosensitiser or photosensitising agent, and a particular type ... in-PharmaTechnologist,

Eyetech Locates 'Exit' Through $935M Cash, Stock OSI Merger -- Aug 22, 2005
Sales of another product - the photodynamic therapy Visudyne (verteporfin) by QLT Inc., of Vancouver, British Columbia - also could be affected if Lucentis ... BioWorld Online (subscription),

Summer Is Over, but the Damage Has Just Begun! Reverse the Effects ... -- Aug 29, 2005
Through photodynamic therapy, the intense pulsed light (IPL) is captured to produce dramatic results to overall skin tone, reduce fine lines and wrinkles ... Market Wire (press release)

Germantown Aesthetics of Germantown, Tennessee Joins ... -- Aug 28, 2005
With our latest laser technologies, including the BLU-U Light Photodynamic Therapy Illuminator and the Candela V-beam Laser, and GentleLASE, wrinkling ... PR Leap (press release),

Diomed Holdings, Inc. to Present at the Roth Capital Partners ... -- Aug 24, 2005
Diomed focuses on EndoVenous Laser Treatment (EVLT(R)) for use in varicose vein treatments, photodynamic therapy (PDT) for use in cancer treatments, and dental ... Business Wire (press release),

Miravant Announces Second Quarter Results for 2005 -- Aug 15, 2005
15, 2005--Miravant Medical Technologies (OTCBB:MRVT), a pharmaceutical development company specializing in PhotoPoint(R) photodynamic therapy (PDT), announced ... Business Wire (press release),

Diomed Acquires Distribution Rights to Breakthrough VeinViewer ... -- Aug 10, 2005
Diomed focuses on EVLT(R) laser treatment for varicose veins, photodynamic therapy (PDT) for use in cancer treatments, and dental and general surgical ... Genetic Engineering News,

Vein device in early demand -- Aug 10, 2005
...and commercializes minimally invasive medical procedures to use with its laser technologies in varicose vein treatments, photodynamic therapy in cancer ... commercialappeal.com (subscription),

Treating moles and melanoma -- Aug 8, 2005
The unit is cutting edge with a fully equipped operating theatre, photodynamic therapy room which uses special light to destroy skin cancer and cryogenic ... ic Teesside.co.uk,

New Acne Treatment Produces Little Pain, Good Results -- Aug 11, 2005
..."Photodynamic therapy works very differently than other medications for acne, in that it's entirely a procedure," Luftman said. ... NBC4.TV,

More information on Photodynamic Therapy from the National Cancer Institute

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment that uses a drug, called a photosensitizer or photosensitizing agent, and a particular type of light. When photosensitizers are exposed to a specific wavelength of light, they produce a form of oxygen that kills nearby cells.

Each photosensitizer is activated by light of a specific wavelength. This wavelength determines how far the light can travel into the body. Thus, doctors use specific photosensitizers and wavelengths of light to treat different areas of the body with PDT.

How is PDT used to treat cancer?

In the first step of PDT for cancer treatment, a photosensitizing agent is injected into the bloodstream. The agent is absorbed by cells all over the body, but stays in cancer cells longer than it does in normal cells. Approximately 24 to 72 hours after injection, when most of the agent has left normal cells but remains in cancer cells, the tumor is exposed to light. The photosensitizer in the tumor absorbs the light and produces an active form of oxygen that destroys nearby cancer cells.

In addition to directly killing cancer cells, PDT appears to shrink or destroy tumors in two other ways. The photosensitizer can damage blood vessels in the tumor, thereby preventing the cancer from receiving necessary nutrients. In addition, PDT may activate the immune system to attack the tumor cells.

The light used for PDT can come from a laser or other sources of light. Laser light can be directed through fiber optic cables (thin fibers that transmit light) to deliver light to areas inside the body. For example, a fiber optic cable can be inserted through an endoscope (a thin, lighted tube used to look at tissues inside the body) into the lungs or esophagus to treat cancer in these organs. Other light sources include light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which may be used for surface tumors, such as skin cancer.

PDT is usually performed as an outpatient procedure. PDT may also be repeated and may be used with other therapies, such as surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.

More from the National Cancer Institute