Photodynamic therapy for Barrett's esophagus: a review

Barrett's esophagus is the major risk factor for the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is increasing in incidence faster than any other cancer in the Western world. Barrett's esophagus has previously been considered an irreversible lesion that required life-long surveillance to detect malignant transformation. However, endoscopic ablative techniques to destroy the abnormal mucosa and allow squamous regeneration have now been developed. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a non-thermal technique where the interaction of a photosensitizer in the tissues and light of a known wavelength results in tissue destruction. It appears to be an effective tool for ablating dysplasia and superficial cancers in Barrett's esophagus. The status of PDT for this disease is reviewed.