Making the Decision to Have PDT (Photodynamic Therapy) for Lung Cancer

Your doctor may suggest PDT if you have stage 0 lung cancer. That means you have a very early tumor that has not invaded deeper than the outer layer of the lung airway. And, it is sitting on the inside of your windpipe or bronchi (the main tubes leading into the lungs) so that it is reachable via a tube (bronchoscope) passed through your airways.

Your doctor may also suggest PDT if you have blockages in your airways from advanced lung cancer, meaning it has spread. In this case it is used to relieve symptoms, not to try to cure the cancer.

It is not for people whose tumors:

• Can be treated effectively with surgery or radiation therapy

• Are not at or near the surface of the windpipe or bronchi

You may have PDT more than one time. For instance, you may need to treat the same tumor if it comes back or to treat smaller nearby tumors. It may be used with other treatments including surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy. The order that you get these treatments may vary.