title: Photodynamic therapy for esophageal cancer.
abstract: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment that uses a photosensitizing drug that is administered to the patient, localized to a tumor, and then activated with a laser to induce a photochemical reaction to destroy the cell. PDT using porfimer sodium followed by excimer dye laser irradiation is approved as a curative treatment for superficial esophageal cancer in Japan. While endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is currently more popular for esophageal cancer, there is evidence to support PDT as an alternative treatment and as a salvage treatment for local failure after chemoradiotherapy (CRT). A photosensitizing agent has also been developed that requires a shorter sun shade period after administration, and studies are currently underway to establish an esophageal cancer indication for this next-generation PDT in Japan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomonori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hatogai
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoda
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Endoscopy Division, National Cancer Center Hospital East, Kashiwa, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kaneko
keywords: Esophageal cancer; photodynamic therapy (PDT); salvage therapy