Authors: Kim, So-Young; Cho, Eun A.; Bae, Sang Mun; Kim, Sang-Yeob; Park, Do Hyun
Online: https://translational-medicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12967-021-02900-8
Issue: J Transl Med. 2021 Jun 7;19(1):248.
Abstract
The incidence of and mortality due to pancreatic cancer, with a low rate of response to chemotherapy or radiotherapy, are increasing worldwide [1,2,3,4]. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has already been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and has been used in clinical trials for oncological treatment, including that for pancreatic cancer [5]. PDT is widely applied for promoting selective tumor necrosis or apoptosis using light after administering a photosensitizer [4]. Chemotherapy after PDT might occasionally lead to tumor downstaging, thereby allowing an attempt at surgical resection or R0 resection in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer [4]. For delivering light, the percutaneous approach might be uncomfortable for patients and requires passing the fiber laser until a long distance from pancreatic mass. Therefore, endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided interstitial PDT (i-PDT) might be an optimal modality to deliver PDT to the pancreas mass [3, 4]. A recent consensus statement from an expert panel for PDT use in pancreatic cancer also recommended that 1) light delivery should be accomplished using EUS guidance, and 2) PDT can be used to downstage the pancreatic cancer before surgical resection [6].
