Photodynamic Therapy Using Endogenous Photosensitization for Gastrointestinal Tumors

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a novel approach in the treatment of carcinomas of the gastrointestinal tract. This review defines PDT, discusses means of photosensitization and considers the mechanisms by which PDT causes cell death of the target tissue while at the same time avoid damage to normal tissues. Additional considerations include the time of PDT application, activation of the photosensitizer, effectiveness and toxicity of PDT, potential need for additional modalities of treatment and concludes with application of PDT principals to the early detection of malignancy. Data regarding the long term effectiveness of PDT for digestive tract adenocarcinomas are lacking because this field is still in its infancy.