title: Photodynamic therapy and anti-tumour immunity.
abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses non-toxic photosensitizers and harmless visible light in combination with oxygen to produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species that kill malignant cells by apoptosis and/or necrosis, shut down the tumour microvasculature and stimulate the host immune system. In contrast to surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy that are mostly immunosuppressive, PDT causes acute inflammation, expression of heat-shock proteins, invasion and infiltration of the tumour by leukocytes, and might increase the presentation of tumour-derived antigens to T cells.
authors.affiliation: Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Ana P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Castano
authors.forename: Pawel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mroz
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Hamblin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D010778:Photochemotherapy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology