Abstract
M.Tech. (Biomedical Technology)
Cancer is a disease that is generally caused by environmental factors that cause mutations in the genes and result in cells proliferating abnormally at a rapid pace (Martin et al., 2013). Due to the amount of new cases diagnosed annually, it is one of the most predominant health threats to individuals (Miller et al., 2016). There are multiple treatments available, however due to the severe side effects suffered by patients; alternative forms of treatment therapies require investigation (DeSantis et al., 2014).
In 2016 the World Health Organization reported that the incidence of skin cancer is on the rise due to the excessive Ultraviolet (UV) rays’ individuals are being exposed to and that metastatic melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer (Swavey et al., 2013). Metastatic melanoma begins in the epidermis where it progresses to other organs (Swavey et al., 2013). Due to this malignancy the limited treatment options that are available are largely ineffective (Seifried et al., 2015). Once metastasis occurs it is difficult to locate where it originated from, can become life threatening if left untreated but frequently redevelops after treatments such as surgery owning to the fact that the primary or secondary site of the tumour was not removed (Allen, 2013). The incidence and mortality rate are continuously increasing because of the metastatic potential of melanoma, suggesting that novel therapies should be proposed which actively target the sites of the tumours (Kunte et al., 2017).
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an alternative therapy that utilises a photosensitizer (PS) drug, that is taken up by the cell and localised in organelles such as the nucleus, rough endoplasmic reticulum and possibly the mitochondrion (Agostinis et al., 2011; Mroz et al., 2011). The localized PS drug is then activated by laser light at a specific wavelength to yield reactive oxygen species (ROS) which induce cell death modes such apoptosis, necrosis and/or autophagy causing tumour destruction (Agostinis et al., 2011; Maiuri et al., 2007). Thus, PDT is a promising treatment modality that is being investigated in the field of dermatology (Wang et al., 2017).
There have been many clinical trials that have been conducted using PDT, however these studies have been done on various other types of skin cancer that...