phototherapy for lung cancer??????

[gail p-m]

My father has a recurrence of cancer(small- it only shows on the PET, not on the CT) in his lung, in a place that has previously been radiated (I think). The oncologist looked into RFA for his and said it's not feasible but is sending my father to meet next week with someone - to talk about the possibility of phototherapy. I don't think that I've ever seen that word mentioned on this board. Just wondering if anyone has had it done or knows about it.

Thanks.

Gail p-m

[Frank Lamb]

Gail,they may mean photo dynamic therapy.(PDT).

I believe it's a procedure where they put something in there and then hit it with a special lite and that lite kills the cancer cells.It usually requires a few treatments,& the patient cannot go out in the direct sunlite for about 5 or 6 weeks.

[teresag]

Photodynamic therapy for lung cancer involves injecting a light-sensitizing drug, waiting about 2 days, then using a laser to expose the tumor to light. The interaction of the light and the drug cause the tumor to die off. As Frank said, the photosensitivity involves the skin and eyes, also, and so you have to protect yourself from all types of bright light for 4-6 weeks. When I was doing this therapy, we had one person who was photosensitive much longer because of an interaction with another drug he was taking for rheumatoid arthritis. So the photosensitive period varies from person to person. Side effects in lung cancer include shortness of breath and there is a small risk of death from massive bleeding in people who have already had radiation therapy to the same area. Some people are hospitalized overnight or longer because of the risk of swelling cutting off their airway. This depends on the location and size of the tumor. Feel free to p.m. me if you want more info. Best wishes, Teresa