Photodynamic therapy (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2003)
For centuries, light has been used to cure various diseases. However, it is only recently that a new medical field has arisen. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), also known as photochemotherapy, is a fast growing technique which was initially devoted to cancer care but which is now recognised as a promising treatment technique in a variety of clinical fields. Written by recognised experts, Photodynamic Therapy provides a comprehensive explanation of what PDT is and how it has developed as a technique in areas such as the detection of lung cancer and applications in dermatology, gynaecology and neurosurgery. This book is ideal both as an introduction to PDT and as an informative text for those wishing to expand their knowledge. Practitioners in biological sciences, biotechnology and medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry will find it an invaluable source of information
Includes bibliographical references and index
An outline of the history of PDT -- Mechanisms of photodynamic therapy -- Sensitizers in photodynamic therapy -- Photodynamic therapy using 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX -- Sensitizers for PDT: phthalocyanines -- Combining photodynamic therapy with antiangiogenic therapy -- Technologies and biophysical techniques for PDT -- Fluorescence bronchoscopy for early detection of lung cancer -- Fluorescence diagnosis and photodynamic therapy in dermatology : an overview -- Photodynamic applications in neurosurgery -- Clinical application of photomedical techniques in gynecology -- Photodynamic therapy of the gastrointestinal tract -- Factors in the establishment and spread of photodynamic therapy