What Does SPDT / SDT Do?
Who developed these therapies? Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been known for about a century. Systemic PDT (SPDT) required the development of a new class of photosensitizer, typically derivatives of chlorin e6. These have only been available for about 10 years. Our main sensitizer was developed by Dr Don Burke and colleagues in Boston , USA . How important is diagnosis of the type of cancer? SPDT/SDT is not very dependent on knowledge of the type of cancer. What our doctors do need to know is the size and approximate location of the primary tumor (if still present), and to have a general indication of where metastases may be. This information is usually available from scans, from photodynamic diagnosis, and from our doctor’s knowledge of typical cancer migration pathways. Conventional therapies need to know the above and a lot more. Chemotherapy and hormone therapy are dependent on accurate diagnosis of the type of cancer. Radiation therapy and surgery are both dependent on an accurate
