Photodynamic therapy for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer (PC) as a lethal disease has a poor prognosis, and 5-year survival rate in this type of cancer was reported about 9%. Currently, photodynamic therapy (PDT) as a light-based modality is gaining acceptance for cancer treatment, including PC. It consists of photosensitizing agent (PS), light, and molecular oxygen. In this, modality generated reactive oxygen species and singlet oxygen cause tumor death. Although efficacy and safety of PDT in treating unresectable localized PC have been validated in the clinic, it suffers from certain obstacles. To address these problems, many researchers are currently working on this subject. This chapter summarizes recent advances, progress, and achievements in PDT for PC therapy.