title: Photodynamic therapy of oral cancer. A review of basic mechanisms and clinical applications.
abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an experimental cancer treatment modality. PDT is based on the accumulation of a photosensitive dye in premalignant and malignant lesions. A certain period of time after the dye has been administered, tumor tissue may contain more of the sensitizer then the surrounding normal tissues. When tissue containing the sensitizer is exposed to light of a proper wavelength and dose, a photochemical reaction between sensitizer and light will occur. The activated photosensitizer reacts with available oxygen which subsequently damages cells and eventually may cause necrosis of the tumor. Photosensitizers can also be used for fluorescence detection. If a tumor contains more of the photosensitizer than the surrounding normal tissue, its fluorescence can potentially be utilized to detect tumors. Analogous to PDT, this can therefore be referred to as photodynamic detection (PDD). This paper reviews the basic mechanisms and clinical applications of PDT and PDD. Emphasis is placed on PDD and PDT with the photosensitizer Photofrin for detection and treatment of premalignant epithelial lesions and squamous cell carcinomas of the oral mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands. J.M.NAUTA@med.rug.nl
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nauta
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: van Leengoed
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Star
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Roodenburg
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Witjes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vermey
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005453:Fluorescence; D017324:Hematoporphyrin Derivative / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006414:Hematoporphyrin Photoradiation; D006801:Humans; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D017319:Photosensitizing Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011874:Radiometry; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D026082:Singlet Oxygen
chemical_list: D017319:Photosensitizing Agents; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D026082:Singlet Oxygen; D017324:Hematoporphyrin Derivative; D010100:Oxygen