Photodynamic therapy

Source: Mycosis Fungoides (Including Sézary Syndrome) Treatment (PDQ®)–Patient Version, National Cancer Institute.

Source updated: February 12, 2025 · Captured 2026-09-09.

Selected source text with whitespace normalised. This Triangle page is not an NCI PDQ summary. Independent clinical review is pending.

Context: Treatment Option Overview / Seven types of standard treatment are used:

Photodynamic therapy is a cancer treatment that uses a drug and a certain type of laser light to kill cancer cells. A drug that is not active until it is exposed to light is injected into a vein. The drug collects more in cancer cells than in normal cells. For skin cancer, laser light is shined onto the skin and the drug becomes active and kills the cancer cells. Photodynamic therapy causes little damage to healthy tissue. Patients undergoing photodynamic therapy will need to limit the amount of time spent in sunlight. There are different types of photodynamic therapy:

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In psoralen and ultraviolet A (PUVA) therapy, the patient receives a drug called psoralen and then ultraviolet A radiation is directed to the skin.

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In extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP), the patient is given drugs and then some blood cells are taken from the body, put under a special ultraviolet A light, and put back into the body. ECP may be used alone or combined with total skin electron beam (TSEB) radiation therapy.

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Preserved source evidence · Independent clinical review pending · Not medical advice