Abstract
The increased cancer incidence and mortality rates have made researchers continue to explore different types of effective and less toxic cancer therapies. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an alternative cancer treatment modality with reduced side effects. It is comprised of three components, a photosensitizer, molecular oxygen and light. Researchers have been exploring third generation photosensitizers that overcome existing photosensitizer limitations such as hydrophobicity, accurate targeting and photosensitivity. Pheophorbide-a is a chlorophyll product currently being explored in a number of in vitro, in vivo and in silico studies as an ideal photosensitizer for breast, prostate, lung, oral squamous cell carcinoma, gastric, osteosarcoma and cervical cancers. These in vitro, in vivo and in silico studies have shown the probable cell death pathways in different cell lines and how advancement in using nanocarriers has improved cancer cell killing effect after pheophorbide-a mediated PDT. The pharmacokinetics have elaborated on the biodistribution and tissue disposition of pheophorbide-a in this review. In summary, we offer our viewpoint on PDT in the context of cancer management, and we believe that this article will shed new light on the role of pheophorbide-a in PDT for cancer.