Endoscopic photodynamic therapy for oesophageal disease

Summary 

Photodynamic therapy is a very important technique for the eradication of widespread oesophageal mucosal disease which has the potential to degenerate to cancer. Patients unsuitable or unwilling to undergo radical therapy can be cured using photodynamic therapy. We predominantly treat patients with high-grade dysplasia in Barrett's oesophagus. Lesions that are visible macroscopically are removed using endoscopic mucosal resection. The remaining area is then treated in 5cm segments at 3 monthly intervals with separate photosensitisation using endoscopic photodynamic therapy.

Keywords: Photodynamic therapy, Photofrin, Aminolaevulinic acid, Barrett's oesophagus