Optics Project
Application of Photodynamic Therapy to Lung Cancer Treatment
Summary:
In the medical optics and lasers course, we explored various optical methods for diagnostics and treatment. As part of this project, I researched and wrote a report on treatment of lung cancer with light which is known as Photodynamic Therapy (PDT).
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Abstract:
A new technology for treatment of cancer that is being explored is Photodynamic Therapy (PDT). In PDT, chemicals known as photosensistizers (PS) are localized into cancerous tissues. Shining laser light onto the tissues causes the photosensitizer to generate reactive oxygen species within the tissue. The reactive oxygen attacks the cell organelles and disrupts regular cell function, which leads to cell death. Targeting the photosensitizer to cancerous tissue determines which cells will die under light exposure. As you can imagine, there are many challenges to achieving PS specificity in order not to harm healthy tissues. Nevertheless, there are several FDA approved photosensitizers and applications of PDT to treating various cancers. One of the cancers that this paper will focus on is lung cancer.(4)
There are over 150,000 deaths related to lung cancer in United States every year.(3) In many cases the lung cancer is inoperable due to patient inability to withstand a surgery and location of the cancer. PDT has been used in many instances of inoperable lung cancer with reduced mortality. In this paper, we will elucidate some of the basic principles of PDT, examine the instrumentation and applications that are involved, and speculate on future possibilities and research related to PDT.