5. Conclusion
As we have seen, the gradual understanding of the photophysical mechanisms behind the photodynamic effect has, since the 1970s, led to systematic molecular engineering work that has resulted in significant optimization of the spectroscopic properties of photosensitizers. At the same time, advances in light source engineering - not detailed in this article, but just as important to the success of a treatment - have helped to make PDT a credible and very often advantageous alternative to other therapeutic approaches to cancer treatment. However, the clinical use of PDT is still limited, due to the difficulty of treating deep-seated tumours, and to certain undesirable effects (photosensitization) linked to the distribution of the photosensitizer outside the tumour tissue, which require certain precautions. A major challenge for the future will be to develop photosensitizers capable of resolving...
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Conclusion
Bibliography
Websites
Haute Autorité de Santé website, information on :
Visudyn® http://www.has-sante.fr/portail/jcms/c_486276/visudyne
Foscan™ http://www.has-sante.fr/portail/jcms/c_1012344/foscan?xtmc==2
...Events
Exhibition: OPTO, Paris, Porte de Versailles, for players in the optics and photonics industry http://www.mesurexpovision.com/les-salons/opto/opto
Standards and norms
- Medical devices – Quality management systems – Requirements for regulatory purposes - ISO 13485 - 2003
Patents
"Preparation of hematoporphyrin dimers and trimers for photodynamic therapy" WO 9000392 A1 19900125
"Preparation of dihydro and tetrahydro derivatives of porphyrins for cancer phototherapy EP337601 A1 19891018
"Radiation-absorbing dyes for treating illnesses assocd. with abnormal vasculature" WO 2001039764 A2 20010607
Directory
Manufacturers – Suppliers – Distributors (non-exhaustive list)
Photosensitizers
Novartis Pharma http://www.novartis.com
DraxisPharma http://www.photofrin.com/
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