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Review
. 2020 May;96(3):506-516.
doi: 10.1111/php.13190. Epub 2020 Jan 7.

Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer: What's Past is Prologue

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Review

Photodynamic Therapy for Cancer: What's Past is Prologue

Michael R Hamblin. Photochem Photobiol. 2020 May.

Abstract

Thomas J Dougherty from Roswell Park Cancer Center played a major role in the progress of photodynamic therapy (PDT) from a laboratory science into a real-world clinical therapy to treat patients with cancer. Nevertheless over the succeeding 45 years, it is fair to say that the overall progress of clinical PDT for cancer has been somewhat disappointing. The goal of this perspective article is to summarize some of the clinical trials run by various companies using photosensitizers with different structures that have been conducted for different types of cancer. While some have been successful, others have failed, and several are now ongoing. I will attempt to touch on some factors, which have influenced this checkered history and look forward to the future of clinical PDT for cancer.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Chemical structures of (a) Photofrin (ether-linked dimer); (b) Temoporfin (Foscan); (c) Verteporfin (Visudyne); (d) Padeliporfin (Tookad soluble); (e) Taloporfin (LS11).
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Chemical structures of (a) Motxafin Lutetium (Lutrin); (b) Rostaporfin (SnET2); (c) Zinc phthalocyanine (CGP 55847).
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Chemical structures of (a) Photochlor (HPPH); (b) Redaporfin (LUZ11); (c) Fimaporfin (Amphinex); (d) Silicon phthalocyanine (PC4); (e) TLD1433.

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