| SKIN CANCER TREATMENT OPTIONS: PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY |
| Skin Cancer Treatment Options: Photodynamic Therapy By: Cherish Hamutoff Treatment for skin cancer is tailored to each patient depending on the type, size, and placement, stage of the disease, medical history and overall health. If the cancer isn’t completely removed during the biopsy, further treatment may be recommended. Surgery Options The most common treatment for skin cancer is surgery, which includes Mohs micrographic surgery (removing the growth layer by layer), excisional skin surgery (removing the growth and the area around it), electrodesiccation and cutterage (removing the cancer with a spoon-like tool, then sending an electric current to kill remaining cancer cells), cryosurgery (freezes the growth with liquid nitrogen) and laser surgery (destroys cancer cells with a focused light beam). Surgery often leaves a scar. Other Treatment Options If surgery isn’t an option, your doctor may recommend topical chemotherapy (putting anticancer drugs directly onto the skin), radiation therapy (killing cancer cells with high-energy rays) or photodynamic therapy. Photodynamic Therapy Photodynamic therapy (PDT) combines a chemical (photosensitizing agent or photosensitizer) with a specific wavelength of light to destroy cancer cells. The chemical may be injected or used as a skin cream. This chemical tends to build up and remain in cancer cells longer than in healthy cells, and when the light is focused on the cells 24 to 72 hours after the application or injection, the photosensitizing agent in the growth produces a type of oxygen that kills the nearby cancer cells. PDT also seems to minimize or kill tumors by damaging the blood vessels within the tumor which cuts off necessary nutrients, and stimulating the immune system to attack the cancer cells. What PDT Can Treat Because the photosensitizers must be activated by light which can only pass through one-third of an inch or less of skin, PDT is most often used on smaller tumors on or near the surface of skin or on the lining of internal cavities or organs. PDT is used to treat localized cancer, not cancers that have spread. Surface tumors and skin cancer are treated using an LED (light-emitting diodes), and internal tumors are treated with laser light from fiber optic cables, which are inserted into the body through a narrow, lighted tube called an endoscope. Side Effects PDT can make the skin and eyes light sensitive for around six weeks post-treatment. It is advised to avoid bright indoor light and direct sunlight. PDT may also cause swelling, burns, pain and some scarring in healthy tissue surrounding the treatment area. Additional side effects are temporary and are related to the treatment area. They may include painful breathing, shortness of breath, coughing, stomach pain and trouble swallowing. |