Treatment of localized prostate cancer using WST-09 and WST-11 mediated vascular targeted photodynamic therapy-A review.

BACKGROUND: Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is well known for its direct cytotoxicity of the free radical-producing photochemical reaction, indirect mechanisms of action including modulation of intrinsic anti-tumour immune activity, and occlusion of pathologically altered tumour vessels leading to tumour ischaemia. The aim of this work is to critically review the evidence base for the use of vascular targeted PDT (VTP) to treat low-risk prostate cancer, and to discuss perspectives and challenges yet to be overcome. A brief general overview of focal prostate cancer therapy was provided, followed by a discussion of both basic and clinical research pertaining to prostate cancer VTP, with a focus on the palladium-based WST-09 and WST-11 photosensitisers. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Literature on VTP for prostate cancer with the fallowing medical subject headings search terms: prostate cancer, photodynamic therapy, vascular targeted photodynamic therapy, bacteriopheophorbide were reviewed. The articles were selected by their relevance to the topic. RESULTS: The clinical and basic research data available to date show much promise for WST-09, and WST-11 based VTP eventually joining the standard urologist's armamentarium against prostate cancer. With good reported tolerability and efficacy VTP can be proposed as an intermediate treatment for local low risk disease, halfway between watchful waiting and radical therapy.

Vascular-targeted photodynamic therapy in the treatment of neovascular age-related macular degeneration: Clinical perspectives.

Vascular targeted photodynamic therapy (VTP), with use of verteporfin as a photosensitizer is one of the few therapies, which has been shown to effectively slow the progression of the "wet" form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and even to stabilize visual acuity over many years. Although, due to considerable advance of AMD treatment, it is currently not recommended in monotherapy of AMD, however, its combination with steroids and anti-angiogenic biologic drugs may reveal high therapeutic potential in the treatment of neovascular AMD. The future of VTP as a method of AMD treatment is development of new selective and targeted photosensitizer and combination of this method with other therapeutic strategies targeting cellular structures or pathways involved in AMD progression.