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Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a clinically approved, minimally invasive therapeutic procedure that can exert a selective cytotoxic activity toward malignant cells. The procedure involves administration of a photosensitizing agent followed by irradiation at a wavelength corresponding to an absorbance band of the sensitizer. In the presence of oxygen, a series of events lead to direct tumor cell death, damage to the microvasculature, and induction of a local inflammatory reaction. Clinical studies revealed that PDT can be curative, particularly in early stage tumors. It can prolong survival in patients with inoperable cancers and significantly improve quality of life. Minimal normal tissue toxicity, negligible systemic effects, greatly reduced long-term morbidity, lack of intrinsic or acquired resistance mechanisms, and excellent cosmetic as well as organ function-sparing effects of this treatment make it a valuable therapeutic option for combination treatments. With a number of recent technological improvements, PDT has the potential to become integrated into the mainstream of cancer treatment. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]

AimsA blind, randomised, prospective, bilateral study to investigate the efficacy of riboflavin/ultraviolet A corneal collagen cross-linkage to halt the progression of keratoconus.Methods24 patients with early/moderate bilateral keratoconus with recent progression were recruited. One eye was randomly assigned to undergo collagen cross-linkage following epithelial removal with riboflavin 0.1% and ultraviolet A (370 nm at 3 mW/cm2). The other remained untreated as a control. The follow-up was 18 months in 22 patients.ResultsAt 18 months, Orbscan II 3 mm, 5 mm keratometry and simulated astigmatism and cone apex power and wave-front measurements (Keraton Scout), including root mean square, coma and pentafoil showed significant reductions from baseline in treated compared with untreated eyes (p=0.04). In treated eyes at 18 months, the best spectacle-corrected acuity improved (p=0.01), and Orbscan II-simulated keratometry (p<0.001), 3 mm keratometry (p=0.008), simulated astigmatism (p=0.007), cone apex power (p=0.002), root mean square, coma, spherical aberration, secondary astigmatism and pentafoil (p=0.05) decreased from baseline. One treated eye experienced transient recurrent corneal erosions; otherwise there were no complications attributable to the treatment.ConclusionsCorneal collagen cross-linkage appears to be an effective and safe modality to halt the progression of keratoconus. Improvements in visual and topographic parameters are seen in some eyes.

Light-activated, photosensitizer-based therapies have been established as safe modalities of tumour ablation for numerous cancer indications. Two main approaches are available: photodynamic therapy, which results in localized chemical damage in the target lesions, and photothermal therapy, which results in localized thermal damage. Whereas the administration of photosensitizers is a key component of photodynamic therapy, exogenous photothermal contrast agents are not required for photothermal therapy but can enhance the efficiency and efficacy of treatment. Over the past decades, great strides have been made in the development of phototherapeutic drugs and devices as cancer treatments, but key challenges have restricted their widespread clinical use outside of certain dermatological indications. Improvements in the tumour specificity of photosensitizers, achieved through targeting or localized activation, could provide better outcomes with fewer adverse effects, as could combinations with chemotherapies or immunotherapies. In this Review, we provide an overview of the current clinical progress of phototherapies for cancer and discuss the emerging preclinical bioengineering approaches that have the potential to overcome challenges in this area and thus improve the efficiency and utility of such treatments.Photodynamic and photothermal therapies hold promise in the local treatment of cancer although, arguably, their full potential has not yet been achieved. Herein, the authors review the current clinical progress of these phototherapies and discuss the bioengineering approaches that are being explored to overcome challenges and thereby improve such treatments.

The Ce[sub.0.5]Y[sub.0.35]Tb[sub.0.15]F[sub.3] nanoparticles with a CeF[sub.3] hexagonal structure were synthesized using the co-precipitation technique. The average nanoparticle diameter was 14 ± 1 nm. The luminescence decay curves of the Ce[sub.0.5]Y[sub.0.35]Tb[sub.0.15]F[sub.3] nanoparticles (λ[sub.em] = 541 nm, [sup.5]D[sub.4]–[sup.7]F[sub.5] transition of Tb[sup.3+]) conjugated with Radachlorin using polyvinylpyrrolidone coating as well as without Radachlorin were detected. Efficient nonradiative energy transfer from Tb[sup.3+] to the Radachlorin was demonstrated. The maximum energy transfer coefficients for the nanoparticles conjugated with Radachlorin via polyvinylpyrrolidone and without the coating were 82% and 55%, respectively. The average distance between the nanoparticle surface and Radachlorin was R[sub.0] = 4.5 nm. The best results for X-ray-induced cytotoxicity were observed for the NP-PVP-Rch sample at the lowest Rch concentration. In particular, after X-ray irradiation, the survival of A549 human lung carcinoma cells decreased by ~12%.

BackgroundTooth discoloration is a common concern in antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) using various photosensitizers (PS). Toluidine Blue (TB), Methylene Blue (MB), Phthalocyanine (Pc), and 2-mercaptopyridine-substituted zinc phthalocyanine (TM-ZnPc) are among those studied, but their relative impacts on tooth discoloration remain unclear.AimThis study aimed to compare the effects of TB, MB, Pc, and TM-ZnPc in aPDT on tooth discoloration, utilizing a controlled experimental setup.Materials and MethodsThe study comprised seventy-five single-rooted incisors with root canals. Following meticulous preparation, a standardized area on the crown surface was designated for examination, and precise measurements of the initial tooth colors were recorded. Samples were randomly divided into five groups: Negative control, MB, TM, Pc, and TM-ZnPc. Photoactivation was performed using LED light, and color measurements were taken at multiple time points up to 90 days. Data were converted to Lab* color values of the CIE Lab* color system (International Commission on Illumination, Vienna, Austria), and ΔE values were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed using Two-way ANOVA and Post-Hoc Tukey tests (p < 0.05).ResultsAt day 7 and 30, TM-ZnPc and Pc caused less discoloration compared to MB and TB. TM-ZnPc caused more tooth discoloration compared to Pc (p < 0.05). Compared to baseline, MB and TM-ZnPc caused more tooth discoloration at 30 days and TB caused more tooth discoloration at 90 days (p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed in terms of tooth discoloration at all periods evaluated after Pc application (p > 0.05). All photosensitizers tested in the study caused tooth coloration.ConclusionAll PS induced clinically detectable tooth discoloration, with TB and MB causing more significant discoloration compared to Pc and TM-ZnPc at certain time points. TM-ZnPc and Pc demonstrated more stable coloration levels over time, suggesting their potential reliability in aPDT applications. This study highlights the importance of selecting appropriate PS to minimize tooth discoloration in aPDT, with Pc showing promise in this regard.

We investigated the influence of gold deposition on the magnetic behavior, biocompatibility, and bioactivity of CoFe[sub.2]O[sub.4] (MCF) nanomaterials (NMs) functionalized with sodium citrate (Cit) or glycine (Gly). The resulting multifunctional plasmonic nanostructured materials (MCF-Au-L, where L is Cit, Gly) exhibit superparamagnetic behavior with magnetic saturation of 59 emu/g, 55 emu/g, and 60 emu/g, and blocking temperatures of 259 K, 311 K, and 322 K for pristine MCF, MCF-Au-Gly, and MCF-Au-Cit, respectively. The MCF NMs exhibit a small uniform size (with a mean size of 7.1 nm) and an atomic ratio of Fe:Co (2:1). The gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) show high heterogeneity as determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The UV-Vis spectroscopy of the composites reveals two localized surface plasmons (LSPs) at 530 nm and 705 nm, while Fourier Transformed-Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) confirm the presence of Cit and Gly on their surface. Subsequent biocompatibility tests confirm that MCF-Au-L NMs do not exert hemolytic activity (hemolysis < 5%). In addition, the CCK-8 viability assay tests indicate the higher sensitivity of cancerous cells (A549) to the photoactivity of MCF-Au compared to healthy Detroit 548 (D548) cell lines. We use advanced microscopy techniques, namely atomic force, fluorescence, and holotomography microscopies (AFM, FM, and HTM, respectively) to provide further insights into the nature of the observed photoactivity of MCF-Au-L NMs. In addition, in situ radiation, using a modified HTM microscope with an IR laser accessory, demonstrates the photoactivity of the MCF-Au NMs and their suitability for destroying cancerous cells through photodynamic therapy. The combined imaging capabilities demonstrate clear morphological changes, NMs internalization, and oxidative damage. Our results confirm that the fabricated multifunctional NMs exhibit high stability in aqueous solution, chemical solidity, superparamagnetic behavior, and effective IR responses, making them promising precursors for hybrid cancer therapy.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of a novel skin wound dressing in promoting the repair of the ulcer wound after the treatment of Extramammary Paget's Disease (EMPD) with Hematoporphyrin Derivative Photodynamic Therapy (HpD‐PDT). Method A total of 10 patients with EMPD previously treated with HpD‐PDT were recruited to conduct a self semi‐lesion controlled study on the treatment of conformal dressing to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the skin ulcer wound repair therapy after HpD‐PDT. The skin lesions treated with novel HVHA Shutai dressing were the study intervention group, and the skin lesions treated with standard of care were the control group. Parameters including skin lesion wound area and adverse events were collected and analyzed in both groups, and wound healing rates were calculated. Results The mean total healing time of 10 subjects was 14.80 ± 3.36 weeks on the study intervention side and 18.30 ± 4.16 weeks on the control side. The total healing time of the study intervention side was significantly less than that of the control side (p = 0.009). The average healing rate of the test side was 85.28% ± 17.15% at Week 12, and that of the control side was 70.48% ± 23.20% at Week 12. The average healing rate of the study intervention side was significantly higher than that of the control side at Week 12 (p = 0.004). All skin lesions were completely healed at the end of follow‐up. No adverse events such as dressing allergy, pain, or wound infection occurred in the subjects. Conclusion For skin wound care after HPD‐PDT treatment of EMPD, HVHA Shutai dressing can accelerate wound healing, promote skin tissue and cell regeneration, and significantly shorten the time for complete wound healing of skin lesions, with significant effectiveness and acceptable safety.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0229231.].

Actinic keratosis is common and can lead to squamous-cell cancer of the skin. In a randomized comparison of efficacy assessed by a dermatologist who was unaware of the treatment assignments, fluorouracil was significantly more effective than ingenol mebutate, photodynamic therapy, or imiquimod at 3 and 12 months after the end of treatment.