Prospects of application of photodynamic therapy in the treatment of oral cancer

Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are the prime treatment options when it comes to treatment of malignant lesions. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a new treatment modality against cancer with special emphasis on the physical and biochemical principles. PDT is also known as photoradiation therapy, phototherapy or photochemotherapy. It is been more than 25 yrs since PDT was proposed as a useful tool in oncology. But now it is clinically approved and more widely used. PDT was developed as a therapy for several diseases such as tumor, periodontitis, other oral lesions and pre-malignant diseases. It is a minimally invasive treatment with great promise in malignant diseases. It is not only well tolerated but also simple and quick to execute. It has proved to show less morbidity and better function; it also shows excellent cosmetic outcome. Soon PDT has the potential to become integrated into the mainstream of cancer treatment.