The place of photodynamic therapy in gynecology

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a specific anticancer treatment that received significant interest in several medical and surgical disciplines. The technique is based on (i) the application of the photosensitizer that accumulates in a variable time in the neoplasic lesions and on (ii) excitation (by light whose wavelength coincides with the absorption peak of the photosensitizer) that (iii) finally causes the destruction of the lesion. This technique allows a minimally-invasive, effective and targeted treatment of some gynecological diseases. Experimental and/or clinical studies have been conducted on vulvar intraepithelial neoplasia, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, dysfonctional uterine bleeding, endometriosis and vulvar lichen sclerosus. We aim to present the principles of PDT and to expose the main indications and ways of research of this technique in gynecology today. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits reserves.