Geisinger introduces new treatment for lung, esophageal cancers

Aug. 21, DANVILLE — Geisinger Medical Center introduces a new therapy for treatment of high-grade dysplasia of Barrett’s esophagus, esophageal cancer and lung cancer.

Geisinger gastroenterologist Nicholas Inverso, MD, and critical care and pulmonary disease specialist Michael L. Ayers, MD, FCCP, now perform photodynamic therapy (PDT) at Geisinger Medical Center, Danville. In this outpatient procedure, patients are treated with a photosensitizing drug followed within 48 hours by targeted laser light inserted through a thin tube called an endoscope. The photosensitizer in the tumor absorbs the light, producing a cytotoxic form of oxygen that kills nearby cancer cells.

This procedure is recommended for Barrett’s esophagus with features of high-grade dysplasia and esophageal cancer patients who could not tolerate conventional surgery. In an acid-free setting, the esophagus generally heals with normal cells.

In the lungs, PDT is primarily indicated for patients with end-stage lung cancer with airway obstruction who are in need of palliative care, as well as patients with airway obstruction due to early-stage cancer who are deemed poor surgical candidates.

The procedure is less invasive than traditional surgery for these conditions, allowing quicker healing time. One limitation: patients must avoid exposure to sunlight and bright indoor light for several weeks.

“For people who can’t endure surgery, this minimally invasive procedure offers a good alternative,” said Dr. Inverso. “It targets treatment at the site of the primary lesion very precisely, and can be repeated if necessary.”

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