Cancer is a serious health burden that affects all parts of the world with a steady increase in incidence and mortality rates. A range of alternative treatments is available to combat this condition. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one such minimally invasive alternative treatment modality for different types of cancer. PDT uses a light-sensitive chemically active compound called photosensitiser (PS), a light of specific wavelength and molecular oxygen to exert cancer cell death via various mechanisms. PS plays a vital role in PDT for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The limitations of conventional PS are overcome by using PS of natural origin (plant), conjugation of PS with nanoparticles and specific antibodies for enhanced bioavailability/absorption, distribution/delivery, cellular update, and targeted effects on tumor sites. The PDT can also be combined with existing therapies for better treatment outcome and disease management.
The global cancer burden is expected to be 28.4 million cases in 2040 with an almost 47% increase from 2020. The poor diagnosis and lack of access to advanced/alternative treatment options are the common factors that increase cancer mortality rates. Limitations of conventional treatments are side effects as the treatment affects healthy/normal tissues or organs. Every cancer type requires a specific treatment regimen, and the primary treatment goal is to cure cancer or to prolong life. Alternative and combination therapies have been playing a pivotal role in cancer management. Recent studies showed that PDT can work well as an alternative cancer treatment option for a range of cancers. PDT exhibited no long-term side effects, takes a shorter time, can be targeted precisely, is less invasive, and is cost-effective compared to many existing treatments. Natural products-guided PDT has a long history. Numerous types of plant-derived compounds are now being used for PDT applications. Compared with synthetic dyes these PS are of great importance due to their diverse molecular structure and specific biological activities. PDT using conjugation of conventional PS or natural PS with nanoparticles is a new arena of PDT research for enhanced targeted therapies that need to be explored for clinical applications.
Despite the clinical success reported though PDT has progressed, it is still currently underutilized in the clinic. Conventional PS sometimes lacks sufficient tumor selectivity. Diverse tumor-targeting approaches such as combination therapies, conjugation of PS with nanoparticles and antibodies, and use of natural PS have been developed. This Research Topic will address current strategies and rationale regarding tumor-targeted PDT. The purpose of this collection is to publish manuscripts covering the thematic area of PDT research. The Research Topic encourages authors to submit Original Research and Review Articles focused on by not limited to:
- Photodynamic therapy of cancer and cell death mechanisms
- Phytochemicals and photodynamic therapy
- Natural and conventional photosensitizers in PDT
- Targeted PDT of cancer
- Role of nanoparticles in PDT
Cancer is a serious health burden that affects all parts of the world with a steady increase in incidence and mortality rates. A range of alternative treatments is available to combat this condition. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is one such minimally invasive alternative treatment modality for different types of cancer. PDT uses a light-sensitive chemically active compound called photosensitiser (PS), a light of specific wavelength and molecular oxygen to exert cancer cell death via various mechanisms. PS plays a vital role in PDT for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The limitations of conventional PS are overcome by using PS of natural origin (plant), conjugation of PS with nanoparticles and specific antibodies for enhanced bioavailability/absorption, distribution/delivery, cellular update, and targeted effects on tumor sites. The PDT can also be combined with existing therapies for better treatment outcome and disease management.
The global cancer burden is expected to be 28.4 million cases in 2040 with an almost 47% increase from 2020. The poor diagnosis and lack of access to advanced/alternative treatment options are the common factors that increase cancer mortality rates. Limitations of conventional treatments are side effects as the treatment affects healthy/normal tissues or organs. Every cancer type requires a specific treatment regimen, and the primary treatment goal is to cure cancer or to prolong life. Alternative and combination therapies have been playing a pivotal role in cancer management. Recent studies showed that PDT can work well as an alternative cancer treatment option for a range of cancers. PDT exhibited no long-term side effects, takes a shorter time, can be targeted precisely, is less invasive, and is cost-effective compared to many existing treatments. Natural products-guided PDT has a long history. Numerous types of plant-derived compounds are now being used for PDT applications. Compared with synthetic dyes these PS are of great importance due to their diverse molecular structure and specific biological activities. PDT using conjugation of conventional PS or natural PS with nanoparticles is a new arena of PDT research for enhanced targeted therapies that need to be explored for clinical applications.
Despite the clinical success reported though PDT has progressed, it is still currently underutilized in the clinic. Conventional PS sometimes lacks sufficient tumor selectivity. Diverse tumor-targeting approaches such as combination therapies, conjugation of PS with nanoparticles and antibodies, and use of natural PS have been developed. This Research Topic will address current strategies and rationale regarding tumor-targeted PDT. The purpose of this collection is to publish manuscripts covering the thematic area of PDT research. The Research Topic encourages authors to submit Original Research and Review Articles focused on by not limited to:
- Photodynamic therapy of cancer and cell death mechanisms
- Phytochemicals and photodynamic therapy
- Natural and conventional photosensitizers in PDT
- Targeted PDT of cancer
- Role of nanoparticles in PDT
