title: Photodynamic therapy for gynecological diseases and breast cancer.
abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a minimally invasive and promising new method in cancer treatment. Cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated by the tissue-localized non-toxic sensitizer upon illumination and in the presence of oxygen. Thus, selective destruction of a targeted tumor may be achieved. Compared with traditional cancer treatment, PDI has advantages including higher selectivity and lower rate of toxicity. The high degree of selectivity of the proposed method was applied to cancer diagnosis using fluorescence. This article reviews previous studies done on PDT treatment and photodetection of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, ovarian and breast cancer, and PDT application in treating non-cancer lesions. The article also highlights the clinical responses to PDT, and discusses the possibility of enhancing treatment efficacy by combination with immunotherapy and targeted therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, People's Friendship University of Russia, Moscow 117198, Russia.
authors.forename: Natashis
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shishkova
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kuznetsova
authors.forename: Temirbolat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Berezov
keywords: breast neoplasms; cervical/vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia; ovarian neoplasms; photodynamic therapy; photosensitizers