What is Photodynamic Therapy?

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Photodynamic therapy is generally used to kill abnormal cells such as cancer cells. A drug called a photosensitizer is injected into the patient. The drug is absorbed by the body but the abnormal cells retain the drug longer than healthy cells. The abnormal cells are then subjected to a certain wavelength of light between 400nm and 700nm, usually via an endoscope (fibre optics). Alone the drug and the light are harmless; however when the drug and the light combine the drug produces an active form of oxygen which kills the surrounding cells. [V7]

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In this way, photodynamic therapy is beneficial as it stops the need for invasive surgery and the risks that come with it. It has less side effects than chemotherapy, although usually it is only used for cancers of the mouth, esophagus and lungs. [V8] 

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