Progress in photodynamic therapy on tumors

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising treatment on neoplastic pathologic tissues, which involves the administration of a photosensitizing agent followed by the exposure of the tissue to visible nonthermal light. Light energy is captured and transferred to other molecules resulting in the formation of short-lived energetic species, which interact with biological systems and then produce tissue damage. Photosensitizer can be taken up selectively by tumor cells because of the upregulation of low-density lipoprotein receptor-mediated endocytosis and the acidic tumor environments. In recent years, the application of PDT in the treatment of malignant lesions has increased dramatically. The first health agency approval for PDT was granted for Photofrin in Canada in 1993, and, now, it is licensed in many countries for the treatment of cancers. Although Photofrin is the most commonly used photosensitizer, it has significant side effects. Therefore, major effort has been invested in the development of new sensitizers and, to this end, many photosensitizers have been described and some are now in clinical trials.