Current status of phthalocyanines in the photodynamic therapy of cancer

Photodynamic therapy is a binary treatment now accepted in clinic for vario us malignancies in several countries around the world. Phthalocyanine molec ules are second-generation photosensitizers with enhanced photophysical and photochemical properties over those of porphyrins. They have been shown to be phototoxic against a number of cell types and tumor models. A great dea l of research has been devoted to the elucidation of their mechanism of act ion and mode of cell death. The present paper reviews phthalocyanine pre-cl inical anti-cancer research with emphasis on phthalocyanine induced apoptos is using a silicon phthalocyanine, Pc4. A brief summary of the latest clini cal results using phthalocyanines is presented. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wil ey & Sons, Ltd.