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You will be given an injection of the photoacive drug Photofrin.
40 to 50 hours after the Photfrin injection, light from a laser will activate the drug within the cancer cells, which will destroy them. The type of laser used in PDT is non-thermal, meaning no heat is involved, so it will not burn.
The physician will direct the laser light through a fiberoptic guide that is passed through an endoscope (a thin tube) that is placed down your throat. The application of light takes anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes depending on the tumor amount your doctor wants to treat. For many patients the entire procedure takes under one hour.
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Division of Thoracic Surgery
Brigham and Women's Hospital
75 Francis Street
Boston, MA 02115