Photodynamic therapy – Introduction and Applications
Introduction into PDT (K. Plaetzer, T. Kiesslich)
modified from:
Plaetzer, K., T. Kiesslich, T. Verwanger and B. Krammer (2003).
The Modes of Cell Death Induced by PDT: An Overview. Medical Laser Application 18(1): 7-19., view pdf
Since its introduction as a promising new method for cancer treatment about three decades ago, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has become progressively well-established as a mode of treatment of malignant (1-4) as well as non-malignant diseases (5-7) which are characterized by the occurrence of unwanted or harmful cells. Typically carried out as a two-step protocol, PDT covers selective uptake of the photosensitizing molecules by target cells and the subsequent irradiation with visible light of the appropriate wavelength for excitation of the photosensitizer (illustrated in Fig.1).
In the range of concentrations used for PDT the photosensitizing molecule is harmless per se, but upon absorption of a photon the molecule is energized into an excited singlet state where it may undergo intersystem crossing and end up in the relatively long-lasting triplet state. This triplet state can either exchange an electron or a hydrogen atom with adjacent molecules (type I photochemical reaction, indicated by “I” in the figure) or transfer energy to molecular oxygen in the ground state (type II photochemical reaction, indicated by “II” in the figure). The electron transfer reaction can produce superoxide anions, a process, which is usually followed by a conversion of superoxide anions to H202, the latter being an immediate precursor of the hydroxyl radical, the most dangerous member of the ROS family. The type II photochemical reaction generates singlet molecular oxygen (1O2), a highly reactive intermediate that interacts with many biomolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids and lipids. In simple chemical systems most sensitizing molecules used in PDT have been shown to effectively produce 1O2, so the type II reaction seems to be dominant in PDT at least with porphyrins or porphyrin-like sensitizing molecules (8-12).
In general, the response of cells to damage depends on several factors which can be classified as external and internal parameters. In PDT, the treatment parameters, such as photosensitizer concentration and the light dose applied represent the most important external parameters, whilst the cellular metabolic state as well as the cell cycle phase can be named among major internal parameters influencing the sensitivity of cells to photodynamic treatment (13).
Applications of PDT
modified from:
Dougherty, T. J. (2002): An update on photodynamic therapy applications. J Clin Laser Med Surg 20(1): 3-7. PUBMED
Photodynamic therapy, following health agency approvals throughout the world for various cancers and other diseases, is being accepted as a treatment to be added to the medical practitioner’s armamentarium. This can be partly attributed to the very attractive concept of PDT; the combination of two therapeutic agents, a photosensitizing drug and light, which are relatively harmless by themselves but combined (in the presence of oxygen) ultimately cause more or less selective target cell destruction. PDT has – except for an increased light sensitivity for a limited period of time – no side-effects in many cases. It can be applied locally and multiple treatments may be administered. Additionally PDT is a low-cost tumor therapy and very simple to use.
Oncologic indications approved by health agencies (or with approval pending) cover bladder cancer (14-16), esophageal cancer (17-20) as well as early and late stage lung cancer (21-24). Other oncology indications cover treatments of cancers of the oral cavity and the aerodigestive tract (25-28), skin cancer (29-33) prostate cancer (14, 34) and nonresectable cholangiocarcinoma (35). PDT is being investigated as adjuvant in the treatment of brain tumors (36-40), mesotheliomas (41-43) and intraperitoneal tumors (44-46).
Nononcologic applications of PDT are actinic keratosis (47, 48), age-related macular degeneration (49-51) and coronary artery disease (52-54) and restenosis (55, 56).
Research on PDT is still sustained; new applications will be explored.
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