Psycho-Oncology: Discover How Stress Causes Cancer
Phase 1 of Cancer: Inescapable Shock
Phase 2 of Cancer: Adrenaline Depletion
Phase 3 of Cancer: The Cancer Fungus
Phase 4 of Cancer: Niacin Deficiency
Phase 5 of Cancer: Vitamin C Depletion
Phase 6 of Cancer: Immune Suppression
PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY (PDT) FOR CANCER
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a two-step process. Step 1 involves applying either directly to the skin or intravenously (into the blood) a photosensitizing agent [usually either the drug perfimer sodium (Photofrin) or aminolevulinic (ALA or Levulan)]. Step 2 involves activating the photosensitizing agent with light (from certain kinds of lasers or LED's). This activation causes the photosensitizing agent to form a special type of singlet oxygen molecule (and other reactive oxygen species or ROS) in the cell's oxygen Krebs' Citric Acid Cycle that kills the cancer cells. Between steps 1 and 2, there is a "drug-to-light interval" of between a few hours to a few days, to allow the non-toxic photosensitizing agent to enter the cells before it is activated by light. The drug only becomes toxic to cancer cells once it is activated by light. PDT is also known to stimulate the immune system.
According to the American Cancer Society, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been shown to work as well as surgery or radiation therapy in treating certain kinds of cancers and pre-cancers. These cancers include: lung, brain, bladder, pancreas, bile duct, esophagus, and head and neck. The world-renowned Mayo Clinic offers this therapy and is also conducting open clinical trials. The reason this therapy is not used for other types of cancers is that light cannot travel very far and penetrate organs affected by cancers which are either too large, or have grown deeply into the skin or other organs. Yet researchers at the University of Delaware in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health have developed a new technique, combining both photodynamic therapy (PDT) with photothermal therapy (PTT) to successfully treat triple-negative breast cancer, a common and aggressive form of breast cancer, that accounts for 10-20 percent of breast cancer patients. Thus this promising new combined therapy (of PDT + PTT) may potentially be used for a wide variety of cancers.
According to the American Cancer Society, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been shown to work as well as surgery or radiation therapy in treating certain kinds of cancers and pre-cancers. These cancers include: lung, brain, bladder, pancreas, bile duct, esophagus, and head and neck. The world-renowned Mayo Clinic offers this therapy and is also conducting open clinical trials. The reason this therapy is not used for other types of cancers is that light cannot travel very far and penetrate organs affected by cancers which are either too large, or have grown deeply into the skin or other organs. Yet researchers at the University of Delaware in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health have developed a new technique, combining both photodynamic therapy (PDT) with photothermal therapy (PTT) to successfully treat triple-negative breast cancer, a common and aggressive form of breast cancer, that accounts for 10-20 percent of breast cancer patients. Thus this promising new combined therapy (of PDT + PTT) may potentially be used for a wide variety of cancers.
PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY (PDT) SIDE EFFECTS
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is usually done as an outpatient procedure due to its non-invasive nature and minimal side-effects, meaning a hospital stay is often not required. However it is sometimes combined with chemotherapy, radiation and surgery and other cancer-related drugs. While there are no long-term related side effects when used properly (according to the American Cancer Society), PDT generally causes short-term light sensitivity (meaning the patient needs to stay inside or cover up), and can cause short-term redness and swelling of the skin (where the drug has been applied) and some associated pain due to swelling. While the immune system is generally stimulated to work more, it can cause the immune system to become weakened for a period of time in some cases.
PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY (PDT) USED AROUND THE WORLD
1. Russians scientists pioneered a photosensitizer agent called Photogem, to be used for PDT application, which was approved by the Ministry of Health of Russia. Clinical trials were conducted between 1992-1996 and a pronounced therapeutic effected was observed in 91 percent of 1,500 patients; with 62 percent having total tumor resolution; 29 percent having greater than 50% tumor shrinkage; and, if the patient had been diagnosed early in their treatment, total tumor resolution was 92 percent. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7897946/]
2. In China, the photosensitizer agent hematoporphyrin (known as HiPorfin) was approved by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration for photodynamic therapy (PDT) cancer treatment in 2001. It is being used in the treatment of malignant lung cancer, due to its low level of trauma and high-specificity and ability to work with all other conventional therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation. In 2010, the "Standard Clinical Operating Procedures" for photodynamic therapy (PDT) were published in order to lay a solid foundation for clinical application of PDT. [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1759-7714.13223]
3. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is also approved for cancer treatment in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan. It is also approved for use in Australia for skin cancers, as well as for malignant melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer.
2. In China, the photosensitizer agent hematoporphyrin (known as HiPorfin) was approved by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration for photodynamic therapy (PDT) cancer treatment in 2001. It is being used in the treatment of malignant lung cancer, due to its low level of trauma and high-specificity and ability to work with all other conventional therapies, such as chemotherapy and radiation. In 2010, the "Standard Clinical Operating Procedures" for photodynamic therapy (PDT) were published in order to lay a solid foundation for clinical application of PDT. [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1759-7714.13223]
3. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is also approved for cancer treatment in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Japan. It is also approved for use in Australia for skin cancers, as well as for malignant melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer.
PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY (PDT) SURVIVAL CASE STUDIES
Colon Cancer (metastasised to lungs, liver, adrenal gland)
1. In 2008, 76-year Elizabeth Mitchell was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer. She was given six to 12 months to live without treatment, and an additional year at best with chemotherapy (which she refused). Her daughter, Jenny, scoured the internet for 16 hours a day and found PDT to be one of two promising treatments that could potentially save her mother's life. Together, they decided on PDT (which worked wonderfully) and Elizabeth was later announced by her doctor to be cancer-free. Here is her story four years later.
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (of the lungs)
2. Thirty-eight patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma underwent radical pleurectomy and intraoperative PDT at the University of Pennsylvania. Medium survival of patients with this type of cancer is typically 12 months. Mean survival of the 38 patients who underwent this treatment was 31.7 months, and 41.2 months for 31/38 patients with epithelial subtypes. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4394024/]
Non-small cell lung cancer or thymoma pleural spread
3. Eighteen patients enrolled in a patient trial to undergo PDT treatment for pleural spread of either non-small cell lung cancer or thymoma, between 2005-2013 at the National Taiwan University Hospital. Comparatively, 51 patients who received chemotherapy or target therapy (only) had medium survival of 17.6 months, compared with the group of 18 patients who did PDT in addition to chemotherapy or target therapy of 39 months. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4507875/]
GI malignancy or ovarian cancer or sarcoma (intraperitoneal tumors)
4. Forty-two patients (enrolled in a phase II trial of debulking surgery and PDT for disseminated intraperitoneal tumors), were adequately debulked for a study at the University of Pennsylvania. Medium survival was 21 months (exceeding expectations) for 12 ovarian cancers, 14 GI malignancies and 15 sarcomas. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11206227/#affiliation-1]
Metastatic ovarian cancer (with many recurrence)
5. At the Hospital of the Medical Center of the Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a case study of a 59-year old woman with many recurrence of metastatic ovarian cancer during multiple surgeries and six courses of chemotherapy (between February 2017 and April 2018) was subsequently treated as a last resort with intraoperative PDT. In November 2019 (1.5 years after PDT, no progression of tumorigenic process was revealed in PET/CT scans). [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12668-020-00749-7]
1. In 2008, 76-year Elizabeth Mitchell was diagnosed with metastatic colon cancer. She was given six to 12 months to live without treatment, and an additional year at best with chemotherapy (which she refused). Her daughter, Jenny, scoured the internet for 16 hours a day and found PDT to be one of two promising treatments that could potentially save her mother's life. Together, they decided on PDT (which worked wonderfully) and Elizabeth was later announced by her doctor to be cancer-free. Here is her story four years later.
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (of the lungs)
2. Thirty-eight patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma underwent radical pleurectomy and intraoperative PDT at the University of Pennsylvania. Medium survival of patients with this type of cancer is typically 12 months. Mean survival of the 38 patients who underwent this treatment was 31.7 months, and 41.2 months for 31/38 patients with epithelial subtypes. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4394024/]
Non-small cell lung cancer or thymoma pleural spread
3. Eighteen patients enrolled in a patient trial to undergo PDT treatment for pleural spread of either non-small cell lung cancer or thymoma, between 2005-2013 at the National Taiwan University Hospital. Comparatively, 51 patients who received chemotherapy or target therapy (only) had medium survival of 17.6 months, compared with the group of 18 patients who did PDT in addition to chemotherapy or target therapy of 39 months. [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4507875/]
GI malignancy or ovarian cancer or sarcoma (intraperitoneal tumors)
4. Forty-two patients (enrolled in a phase II trial of debulking surgery and PDT for disseminated intraperitoneal tumors), were adequately debulked for a study at the University of Pennsylvania. Medium survival was 21 months (exceeding expectations) for 12 ovarian cancers, 14 GI malignancies and 15 sarcomas. [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11206227/#affiliation-1]
Metastatic ovarian cancer (with many recurrence)
5. At the Hospital of the Medical Center of the Office of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, a case study of a 59-year old woman with many recurrence of metastatic ovarian cancer during multiple surgeries and six courses of chemotherapy (between February 2017 and April 2018) was subsequently treated as a last resort with intraoperative PDT. In November 2019 (1.5 years after PDT, no progression of tumorigenic process was revealed in PET/CT scans). [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12668-020-00749-7]
