Photodynamic therapy

Photodynamic therapy is also called “the therapy of light”. The tumour is pretreated with a specific type of dye (can be administered locally as a creme or intravenously). The dye then attaches itself to the tumour cells. Afterwards, the tumour is lit with a light source that emits light at a certain frequency, which activates the dye and causes a tumouricidal effect.

This technique can also be used for superficial squamous cell carcinoma on a cat’s nose, and transitional cell carcinoma on the bladder neck of a dog. This procedure is performed at Veterinary clinic De Korte Akkeren in Gouda (The Netherlands), the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Utrecht (The Netherlands), Tierspital Zürich (Switzerland) and Anicura in Hünenberg (Switzerland).