LIGHTBED PHOTODYNAMIC-THERAPY (PDT) IS EFFECTIVE IN REDUCING CIRCULATING TUMOUR CELL (CTC) COUNT IN CANCER PATIENTS.

Prevalence of cancer in Australia is high, and metastatic spread increases the risk of cancer-related deaths in 9 out of 10 patients. Early detection of cancer and monitoring of treatment effectiveness are therefore paramount to improving overall quality of life and survival of many Australians. The Circulating Tumour Cell (CTC) blood test is a useful screening tool to assess treatment effectiveness. CTC are biomarkers for cancer, with higher CTC counts associated with greater risk of cancer and metastasing potential. Our first in-human Photodynamic Therapy (PDT) Lightbed study involving 85 cancer patients found that PDT using a Lightbed directly after HyperBaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) reduced CTC count - by up to 90% - in 75% of patients after 1 week, and almost all patients (93%) after 3 months. Therapy consisted of oral intake of a chlorophyll-based liquid photosensitiser 16-20 hours before combination of 60 minutes of HBOT followed immediately by 30 minutes of lightbed therapy (whole body red light). PDT lightbed therapy was highly tolerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]