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Mesothelioma is one of the most aggressive and deadliest forms of cancer and is usually caused by exposure to asbestos. Exposure to asbestos typically precedes development of the cancer by anywhere from 10 to 50 years, but once diagnosed, only about 40 percent of U.S. mesothelioma patients survive one year.

Penn Medicine's Mesothelioma and Pleural Program and Penn's Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA bring together internationally renowned experts in medical, surgical and radiation oncology and pulmonology who collaborate in the diagnosis, treatment and research of mesothelioma and pleural disease.

In a study published in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery, lead author Joseph Friedberg, MD, co-director of the Penn Mesothelioma and Pleural Program, and Penn thoracic surgeon, found that among patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma, treatment with lung-sparing surgery in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) yielded unusually long survival rates, with median survival rates up to two or more years longer than is reported with traditional treatments

Stephen Hahn, MD, is chair of the department of radiation oncology and the Henry K. Pancoast Professor of Radiation Oncology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. He is board certified in radiation oncology, medical oncology, and internal medicine and is internationally renowned for his work in photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Dr. Hahn recently answered a series of questions related to lung cancer and radiation therapy for TalkAboutHealth.com.

 

 

What is photodynamic therapy for lung cancer?

Photodynamic therapy is a cancer treatment in which a patient receives (typically by vein) a special light sensitive drug followed by the delivery of a specific type of laser light to a tumor. The drug in the tumor is activated by laser light, which kills cancer cells. We can focus the laser light on a tumor and minimize the amount of laser light on the normal tissues thereby limiting side effects. Currently photodynamic therapy is approved by the FDA in lung cancer for the treatment of tumors within the trachea or bronchus (breathing tubes) that are causing obstruction. It is also approved for esophageal cancers that are causing obstruction of the esophagus (swallowing tube) and some precancerous conditions of the esophagus and skin.

When can photodynamic therapy be used to treat cancer?

Photodynamic therapy cannot be used for all cancers because it is not possible to delivery an adequate dose of laser light to some tumors. In other words, they may be inaccessible. At Penn Medicine, we have one of the largest photodynamic therapy research programs in the world and are currently studying its use in patients with a tumor the chest called mesothelioma.

Learn about Treatment for Lung Cancer and Mesothelioma in Philadelphia

At Penn's Abramson Cancer Center, patients with lung cancer have access to every lung cancer and mesothelioma treatment option available, provided by nationally recognized cancer experts.

Penn's expert care and leading-edge treatments give patients with lung cancer the best chance of an excellent outcome.

Have questions about lung cancer treatments offered at Penn's Abramson Cancer Center in Philadelphia?


Helpful links:

• Learn more about the Penn mesothelioma program in Philadelphia. 
• Learn more about treatments for mesothelioma at Penn.
• Find a mesothelioma specialist at Penn.