Photodynamic therapy of cerebral glioma – A review Part I – A biological basis

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been investigated extensively in the laboratory for decades, and for over 25 years in the clinical environment, establishing it as a useful adjuvant to standard treatments for many cancers. A combination of both photochemical and photobiological processes occur that lead to the eventual selective destruction of the tumour cells. It is a potentially valuable adjuvant therapy that can be used in conjunction with other conventional therapies for the treatment of cerebral glioma. PDT has undergone extensive laboratory studies and clinical trials with a variety of photosensitizers (PS) and tumour models of cerebral glioma. Many environmental and genetically based factors influence the outcome of the PDT response. The biological basis of PDT is discussed with reference to laboratory and preclinical studies.