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The effect of photodynamic therapy on tumor angiogenesis

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Abstract

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), the activation of a photosensitive drug in tumor tissue with light of specific wavelength, has been used effectively to treat certain solid tumors. Though therapeutic responses are encouraging, PDT-mediated oxidative stress can act as an angiogenic switch that ultimately leads to neovascularization and tumor recurrence. This article explores the effect of PDT on angiogenesis in different tumor models. Overexpression of proangiogenic vascular endothelial growth factor, cyclooxygenase-2 and matrix metalloproteases has often been reported post-illumination. Recent clinical studies have demonstrated that inhibiting angiogenesis after chemotherapy and radiotherapy is an attractive and valuable approach to cancer treatment. In this review, we report the effective therapeutic strategy of combining angiogenesis inhibitors with PDT to control and treat tumors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Cancer Centre Singapore, 11 Hospital Drive, Singapore, 169610, Singapore

    Ramaswamy Bhuvaneswari, Khee Chee Soo & Malini Olivo

  2. Natural Sciences and Science Education, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, 1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore, 637616, Singapore

    Yik Yuen Gan

  3. Singapore Bioimaging Consortium, Biomedical Sciences Institutes, 11 Biopolis Way, #02-02 Helios, Singapore, 138667, Singapore

    Malini Olivo

  4. Department of Pharmacy, National University of Singapore, No. 18 Science Drive 4, Block S4, Singapore, 117543, Singapore

    Malini Olivo

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  1. Ramaswamy Bhuvaneswari
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  2. Yik Yuen Gan
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  3. Khee Chee Soo
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  4. Malini Olivo
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Correspondence to Malini Olivo.

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Bhuvaneswari, R., Gan, Y.Y., Soo, K.C. et al. The effect of photodynamic therapy on tumor angiogenesis. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 66, 2275–2283 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-009-0016-4

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