Adapting preclinical concepts for use in clinical trials of serosal and interstitial photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) requires an optimal combination of drug and light. To achieve the ideal conditions, a tight bond between the research laboratory and the clinic is essential. This continual 2-way street allows preclinical ideas and concepts to be tested in the clinic and refinements in technique to be made. This article clearly illustrates the close connection between the bench and the bedside, exploring intraoperative pleural PDT, challenges in matching fluence and photosensitizer, improvements in animal models that lead to adjustments in the operating room, and clinical applications for interstitial PDT in prostate cancer and beyond.