| Traditional therapies for lung cancer treatment have | | | | will not be effective because it will not be able to |
| included staples like surgery, chemotherapy and | | | | reach all of those sites. |
| radiotherapy. These lung cancer treatment options | | | | However, there are many benefits to this new brand |
| have been tried and tested in scores of patients for | | | | of treatment as well. It has no long-term side |
| many years. But these types of treatment options | | | | effects, for example. Other therapies, particularly |
| may not be right for all lung cancer sufferers. Some | | | | chemotherapy, have long-term side effects that |
| patients cannot tolerate the side effects of these | | | | some patients cannot or do not wish to tolerate. |
| treatments, or may not be well enough to undergo | | | | And, photodynamic therapy is much less invasive |
| surgery. Luckily, new lung cancer treatments are still | | | | than surgery used to find and remove a cancerous |
| being developed for targeting this devastating | | | | tumor. |
| disease. Among the newest treatment options is | | | | Like surgery, photodynamic can precisely target |
| photodynamic therapy. | | | | cancerous cells. But unlike radiotherapy and other |
| This experimental new treatment differs from | | | | treatments, it can be used many times on the same |
| chemotherapy, which uses drugs to kill cancerous | | | | part of the body if necessary. And patients will not |
| cells, and radiotherapy, which uses high-dose radiation | | | | need to be concerned about much, if any, scarring |
| to destroy cancer. Instead, photodynamic therapy | | | | from the procedure. There are downsides however. |
| employs light to kill off cancer cells. First, a drug is | | | | Patients who get this type of treatment could be |
| injected into the blood or put on the skin. This drug | | | | sensitive to light, both in their eyes and skin. This |
| can be absorbed by cancer cells once it is inside the | | | | sensitivity could last six weeks or more. And patients |
| body. Next, light is employed. This may take place | | | | could also experience temporary nausea and vomiting |
| within a few hours of the drug being given to the | | | | from the treatment. |
| patient, or it may take place after several days. | | | | Currently, photodynamic therapy is being explored |
| Certain kinds of light cause a reaction from the drug. | | | | experimentally as an option for mesothelioma |
| The drug reacts with oxygen, producing a chemical | | | | patients. It is already in use for non-small cell lung |
| that can kill nearby cancer cells. | | | | cancer, however. Researchers are also exploring the |
| That which makes the photodynamic process | | | | possibility of combining this therapy with other forms |
| reffective also limits it, however. If light cannot reach | | | | of treatment. For example, it could be combined with |
| the drug, it cannot cause the necessary reaction that | | | | surgery. If surgery was used to remove cancer from |
| kills the cancer. Therefore, it only works in places in | | | | the lungs, then photodynamic therapy could be used |
| the body that light can reach, such as the skin and | | | | on top of that to keep it from coming back in places |
| the lining of internal organs. For lung cancer patients, | | | | like the pleura, or lining of the lung. Researchers are |
| this means that the therapy could be an option for | | | | also hoping to one day make photodynamic therapy |
| those with mesothelioma, which affects the lining | | | | useful as a treatment against large, solid tumors. In |
| around the lungs. However, even in the case of | | | | the United States, the Federal Drug Administration |
| mesothelioma, if the cancer has spread to many | | | | has already approved several photodynamic drugs. |
| places throughout the body, photodynamic therapy | | | | |