The modern era of photodynamic therapy (PDT) treatment of human cancer began in earnest in 1978, with the publication by Dougherty et al. of the first large series of humans with refractory or recurrent skin cancers successfully treated with PDT using HpD (Photofrin). The first human series of head and neck cancer patients successfully treated with PDT (Photofrin) was published in 1985, by Keller et al. Since that time, numerous clinical investigators around the world have treated thousands of head and neck cancer patients with PDT in clinical trials. These head and neck cancer PDT clinical trials enrolled patients with various stages of disease, and locations of the tumor and were treated using a variety of photosensitizers. Head and neck cancer PDT treatments were performed as the primary treatment with the intent to cure, as a late-stage treatment for palliation of the tumor, or as an adjuvant or neoadjuvant treatment in combination with surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and most recently immunotherapy. Over the past five decades, head and neck cancer PDT has evolved as newer and more targeted photosensitizers became available for clinical use, as well as advances in laser and fiberoptic technologies allowing for the activating light to be successfully and more easily delivered deep into large invasive tumors. In addition, PDT can be accurately delivered using endoscopic, robotic, CT, ultrasound and MRI guidance thereby specifically targeting the tumor and reducing treatment morbidity. Significant progress has been achieved in the ease of use and treatment efficacy of head and neck cancer PDT in various stages of the disease.

随着 Dougherty等人于 1978 年发表论文，现代光动力疗法 (PDT) 治疗人类癌症的时代正式开始。第一批使用 HpD (Photofrin) 成功进行 PDT 治疗的难治性或复发性皮肤癌患者。 Keller等人于 1985 年发表了首个成功使用 PDT (Photofrin) 治疗的人类头颈癌患者系列研究。从那时起，世界各地的众多临床研究人员已经在临床试验中使用 PDT 治疗了数千名头颈癌患者。这些头颈癌 PDT 临床试验招募了处于不同疾病阶段和肿瘤位置的患者，并使用各种光敏剂进行治疗。头颈癌 PDT 治疗作为主要治疗，旨在治愈肿瘤，作为晚期肿瘤姑息治疗，或作为与手术、放疗、化疗和最近的免疫治疗相结合的辅助或新辅助治疗。在过去的五年里，随着更新、更有针对性的光敏剂可供临床使用，以及激光和光纤技术的进步，头颈癌 PDT 不断发展，使得激活光能够成功且更容易地深入到大的侵入性肿瘤中。肿瘤。此外，PDT 可以使用内窥镜、机器人、CT、超声和 MRI 引导准确地进行，从而专门针对肿瘤并降低治疗发病率。头颈癌PDT在疾病各个阶段的易用性和治疗效果方面取得了重大进展。