Valentina Rapozzi & Giulio Jori 
Resistance to Photodynamic Therapy in Cancer 

This volume provides a comprehensive review of resistance induced by photodynamic therapy (PDT) in tumor cells. Understanding the underlying mechanisms in this process leads to the improvement of therapeutic modality, in combination with chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiotherapy. Photodynamic therapy is a minimally invasive therapeutic procedure that can exert a selective or preferential cytotoxic activity toward malignant cells. The procedure involves administration of an intrinsically non-toxic photosensitizing agent (PS) followed by irradiation at a wavelength corresponding to a visible absorption band of the sensitizer. In the presence of oxygen, a series of events lead to direct tumor cell death, damage to the microvasculature, and induction of a local inflammatory reaction. Studies reveal that PDT can be curative, particularly in early stage tumors and this volume explores the potential of PDT, but also reveals strategic approaches to overcome resistance in tumor cells.

Table of Content

​Basic and Clinical Aspects of photodynamic Therapy.- Mechanisms of Resistance to Photodynamic Therapy.- Tumor Vascular Microenvironment Determines responsiveness to Photodynamic Therapy.- Autophagy Pathways Activated in Response to PDT Contribute to Cell Resistance Against ROS Damage.- Methods to isolate the Resistant Cells to Photodynamic Therapy.- GRP78-Targeting Subtilase Cytotoxin Sensitizes Cancer Cells to Photodynamic Therapy.- Optimization of Photodynamic Therapy Response by Survivin Gene Knockdown in Human Metastatic Breast Cancer.- Cellular Targets and Molecular Responses Associated with Photodynamic Therapy.- The Use of Nanoparticle-Delivered Photosensitizers Can Overcome the Development of Resistance to PDT in Tumors.- Mechanisms of tumor cells resistance to ALA/PDT.- Overcoming the Resistance of Meolanoma to Photodynamic Therapy

About the author

Giulio Jori is Professor of Biophysics at the University of Padova, Italy. He has been a founding member and President of the European Society for Photobiology. His research interests are focused on basic mechanisms of photodynamic action at a cellular and tissue level, as well as investigations concerning the application of photodynamic therapy for the treatment of tumours and microbial infections. Dr. Jori is Editor-in-chief of Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology and he was also chairman of the ownership board of the journal Photochemical and Photobiological Sciences. He has been the chief organizer of nine International Symposia on Photodynamic Therapy and Photodiagnosis in Clinical Practice. In addition, he has received an award for excellence in research from the European Society for Photobiology.
Valentina Rapozzi is a Researcher at the University of Udine, Italy. Dr. Rapozzi’s research is focused on the antitumoral molecular pathways in photodynamic therapy. She is a member of the European Society for Photobiology, and a member of the Council of the Italian Society of Photobiology.