Studies have shown that PDT can work as well as surgery or radiation therapy in treating certain kinds of cancers and pre-cancers. It has some advantages, such as:
· It has no long-term side effects when used properly.
· It is less invasive than surgery
· It usually takes only a short time and is most often done as an outpatient.
· It can be targeted very precisely.
· Unlike radiation, PDT can be repeated many times at the same site if needed.
· There is little or no scarring after the site heals.
· It is often less expensive than other treatments.
PDT cannot be used in people who have a blood disease called acute intermittent porphyria or people who are allergic to porphyrins. This kind of allergy is rare, but may happen in those who have gotten porphyrins in the past.
How is PDT used?
The form of PDT used at The Holistic Way is natural and is designed to replenish badly needed nutrients and vitamins in the body to enable your own immune system to defend it self more readily.
PDT has been used in people with Cancer, Aids and Diabetes to help them live longer and improve their quality of life. Although PDT works and causes no long-term problems, it is not yet widely used today. Still, it is offered in some treatment centers, and is being studied in many clinical trials. It is becoming more widely recognized as a valuable treatment option. PDT is also used to treat pre-cancers of the skin, and is being tested against pre-cancers in the mouth, larynx (voice box) and other places. Three photosensitizing agents are currently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat certain cancers or pre-cancers.
The future of photodynamic therapy
Photodynamic therapy may be used to treat other cancers and diseases in the future. Current studies are testing the use of PDT for several types of cancer and pre-cancerous conditions, including cancers of the: