Role of photodynamic therapy in unresectable esophageal and lung cancer

The incidence of esophageal cancer has increased dramatically in the Western population in the last two decades. Many of these patients tend to present late in the disease course with symptoms of dysphagia and malnutrition. Thus a majority of patients at presentation may require palliation of their symptoms. Lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer related mortality in the United States. Similar to esophageal cancer, many patients present in advanced stages where surgical resection for cure may not be an option. Endobronchial obstruction from both primary and metastatic neoplasm causes significant morbidity. The modalities, which are currently available for palliation of symptoms include surgery, photodynamic therapy, dilation, external beam radiation, stents, Nd:YAG laser therapy, and brachytherapy. Each of these modalities has their specific advantages and drawbacks. In this article, we discuss the role of photodynamic therapy in the palliation of esophageal and lung cancer.