By Cancer Treatment Centers of America

One Arizona doctor has become the first in the state to offer her patients photodynamic therapy – or PDT to clear a patient’s airway when a tumor is blocking it. PDT is a palliative treatment which works to improve a patient’s overall quality of life while they continue traditional cancer treatment. It works by injecting a chemical which makes the patient’s entire body, and the tumor, photosensitive. The doctor then goes into the airway with a fiber optic cable to essentially burn the tumor away.

As Sharad Chandrika, MD, Medical Director of Cardiopulmonary, Pulmonologist & Intensivist, at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Phoenix explains, “The treatment has been around for decades…[and] is now making a resurgence.

Find out more about how the procedure works and hear from a patient whose life has been positively impacted HERE.

About Cancer Treatment Centers of America
Cancer Treatment Centers of America® (CTCA) is a national network of five hospitals that serves adult patients who are fighting cancer. CTCA® offers an integrative approach to care that combines advancements in genomic testing and precision cancer treatment, surgery, radiation, immunotherapy and chemotherapy, with evidence-informed supportive therapies designed to help patients physically and emotionally by enhancing their quality of life while managing side effects both during and after treatment.  Stay up to date on all things CTCA! Be sure to follow them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube or call the VIP Line at 1-800-227-3207 for more information.