Photodynamic Therapy (PDT)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT)s is also referred to as blue light therapy that utilizes a photosensitising molecule or a drug or photosensitiser, which usually gets activated by exposure to a light source and administered in the patient’s body. During exposure to a specific wavelength of light, photosensitisers produce a form of oxygen that destroys nearby cells. Doctors generally use specific photosensitisers and wavelengths of light with PDT to treat various precancerous conditions such as superficial skin cancers known as Actinic Keratoses, Acne, head, neck, mouth, lung, oesophagus, and various other types of cancer cells occur in different regions of the body. PDT procedure can be easily performed in a physician’s office or outpatient setting.

The Procedure of PDT:

It involves three steps-

• Application of Photosensitiser Drug

  A photosensitiser, light-sensitizing liquid, cream, or intravenous drug is carefully administered or applied.

• Incubation Period

  Wait for an incubation period of minutes to a few days, that allows the drug to concentrate in the cancer cells, depending on the light-sensitizing drugs and a variety of light sources on the targeted cancer tissue.

• Light Activation

  Finally, the target tissue is exposed to a specific wavelength of light to activate the photosensitising medication to destroy the targeted tissues.

At CCDC, we perform PDT by direct injury to the target cells and tissues, that produces an activated oxygen molecule to injure or destroy nearby cells. Due to the absence of normal skin barrier at the sites of the Actinic Keratoses, photosensitising molecule is specifically absorbed on this site and then activated by light.

After PDT, once the affected areas have healed, this region is re-examined whether some additional treatments or biopsies are required.

Possible Side Effects:

• Sensitivity to light
• Pain and swelling in the tumor area
• Nausea and sickness