Photodynamic Therapy Of Diseases Of The Head And Neck

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is currently clinically employed to treat several malignant and nonmalignant diseases. With approvals for various applications by health agencies in Europe, the US, Canada, and Japan, PDT represents the method of choice for treatment of age-related macular degeneration and is appreciated as a minimally invasive therapeutic procedure to treat skin, esophageal, head and neck, lung, and bladder cancers with high cure rates, nearly no side effects, and excellent cosmetic outcomes. Current basic research and clinical studies will help to further integrate PDT as a mainstream procedure for cancer treatment. This book presents an overview of the important medical applications of PDT, including approved treatments, clinical trials, and investigated therapies for cancer and non-malignant diseases.

"Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is currently clinically employed to treat several malignant and nonmalignant diseases. With approvals for various applications by health agencies in Europe, the US, Canada, and Japan, PDT represents the method of choice for treatment of age-related macular degeneration and is appreciated as a minimally invasive therapeutic procedure to treat skin, esophageal, head and neck, lung, and bladder cancers with high cure rates, nearly no side effects, and excellent cosmetic outcomes. Current basic research and clinical studies will help to further integrate PDT as a mainstream procedure for cancer treatment. This book presents an overview of the important medical applications of PDT, including approved treatments, clinical trials, and investigated therapies for cancer and non-malignant diseases."--

"This book addresses major problem in the management of patients with cancer of the head and neck. The authors have written six chapters of particular importance for head and neck cancer diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation. Chapter 1 describes treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head. Chapter 2 presents treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the neck. Biochemical studies of head and neck cancer treatments are presented in Chaper 3. In chapter 4 biochemical studies of head and neck cancer biomarkers are presented. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) exploits light interactions and photosensitizers to induce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species. Photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) uses the phenomenon of photosensitizer emitting fluorescence to distinguish some tumors from normal tissue. PDT offers a therapeutic solution that has been found to be cost-effective compared to palliative major surgery or chemotherapy. However, despite the significant improvement noted in preclinical and clinical trials, PDT is still not considered the standard treatment option for head and neck cancer. Multiple photosensitizers have been studied and tumors have been treated in a variety of head and neck sites over the last 30 years. Photodynamic therapy is a palliative treatment option for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma patients which induces local inflammation and alters tumor cell morphology"--

The main objective of this book is to present the recent applications of photodynamic therapy (PDT) in treating cancer and other diseases. The limitations associated with current PDT agents, and the synthetic designs that have been used in various laboratories are also discussed. The utility of certain tumor-avid agent for cancer imaging (fluorescence, PET, MRI) is also summarized. The book also includes the use of delivery vehicles, including nanoparticles in improving the tumor-specificity of the desired agents. The book is basically focused on the translational approach of drug development. By providing certain specific examples, a clear concept of moving a 'product' from the bench to bed-side is also discussed.To have a clear concept of drug development the book is divided in three parts — Medicinal Chemistry, Mechanistic and Clinical studies. Each part includes the contributions from the leading scientists with extensive experience in the respective field. The handbook is assembled by renowned scientists Dr Dougherty, known as the father of PDT, Dr Kessel, well known for his contributions on mechanism of PDT and Dr Pandey for his inventions in developing improved agents for PDT and cancer-imaging.

Photodynamic therapy is a proven effective treatment of actinically damaged skin cells, nonmelanoma skin cancers, and acne and other pilosebaceous conditions. As an agent for general facial rejuvenatin it has untapped potential. The current state of PDT therapy and future applications are discussed in detail in this exciting new volume. Throughout, the focus is on evidence-based clinical uses of PDT, including pretreatment regimens, avoidance and management of complications, and posttreatment suggestions.

Biological interactions of visible light with photosensitizers have been studied for over a century while controlled clinical applications of light and photosensitizers to treat solid tumors, known as photodynamic therapy, have been evolving since the mid 1970’s. In Photodynamic Therapy: Methods and Protocols, leading PDT scientists and clinicians provide the first comprehensive collection of methods and protocols specifically related to relevant mechanistic, dosimetric, preclinical, and clinical procedures used in current PDT research. Reflecting the growing number of studies demonstrating that immunological, tumor microenvironmental, and vascular responses are all contributing to PDT treatment outcomes, the contents of this volume move beyond the more traditional PDT concepts in order to investigate the numerous signal transduction and cell death pathways involved. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular BiologyTM series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and notes which highlight tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Photodynamic Therapy: Methods and Protocols is an ideal guide for new investigators just starting out in PDT research as well as seasoned investigators changing the direction of their research with the intention of exploring this vital field of study.