João Tomé

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has evolved as a therapeutic modality in the treatment of various types of cancer. The destruction of tumor cells is due to the formation of reactive oxygen species resulting from the interaction between the photosensitizer (PS), light, and oxygen. Recently, the combination of the photosensitizer with antibodies, or with antibody fragments, has contributed to improvements in the specificity of this phototherapy, reducing its side effects.

A terapia fotodinâmica (PDT) tem evoluído como uma modalidade terapêutica no tratamento de vários tipos de cancro. A destruição das células tumorais deve-se à formação de espécies reativas de oxigénio que resultam da interação entre o fotossensibilizador (PS), luz e oxigénio. Recentemente, a combinação de fotossensibilizadores com anticorpos, ou com fragmentos de anticorpos, tem contribuído para melhorar a especificidade desta fototerapia para as células tumorais.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising method, which has been studied and applied to improve the treatment of several tumour types. PDT combines molecular oxygen, light and a photosensitizer (PS) to generate cytotoxic reactions in cancer cells. The potential of PSs conjugated with biomolecules which will be recognized by antigens or receptors overexpressed in cancer cells prompted us to synthesize and to validate the photodynamic activity of a porphyrin conjugated with human and bovine serum albumins, and the monoclonal antibody anti-CD104.