Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment method that has had a great deal of success on other types of cancer, especially skin cancer. In PDT, a patient is given an inert but photosensitive chemical that is taken up preferentially by cancerous cells. Then the treatment area is exposed to a special light that activates the chemical, turning it into a poison. Because cancerous cells take up the toxin more than other cells, PDT kills cancer while leaving other cells unharmed.
The most effective form of PDT for mesothelioma involves surgery with PDT. This allows the mesothelioma cells to be exposed to light energy that cannot naturally penetrate that deeply into the body.
PDT seemed like a promising avenue for mesothelioma treatment in the 1990s. However, a number of clinical trials have shown the effectiveness to be limited. Several trials showed no benefit in a number of critical clinical measures, including: median survival rate, median progression-free time (the amount of time the cancer stopped growing), and sites of first recurrence. Other studies suggest PDT may be effective for early stage mesothelioma, but not later-stage.
If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma, it is due to an exposure to asbestos exposure, and likely a workplace exposure. If your employer did not take adequate measures to protect you from asbestos exposure, you may be able to receive compensation for your illness. To learn more about your rights after a mesothelioma diagnosis, please contact the mesothelioma lawyers at The Law Office of Brown | Kiely, LLP for a free consultation today.
