Definition Of Photodynamic Therapy - OnCare Cancer Center Definition Of Photodynamic Therapy
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What is photodynamic therapy? Because cancer cells can be selectively destroyed while most healthy cells are spared, photodynamic therapy (PDT) is useful for the treatment of certain cancer tumors. Photodynamic therapy uses chemicals in the cancer cells that react to the argon light. These chemicals, called photosensitizing agents, are not naturally found in the cancer cells. In PDT, the chemicals are given to the cancer patient by injection. Cells throughout the body absorb the chemicals. The chemicals collect and stay longer in the cancer cells than in the healthy cells. At the right time, when the healthy cells surrounding the tumor may already be relatively free of the chemicals, the red light of an argon laser can be focused directly on the tumor. It hits the tumor and, as the cells absorb the light, a chemical reaction destroys the cancer cells.
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