Application of PIXE to cancer research

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising approach to the local destruction of malignant tumours. This method is based on the partially selective retention in tumor tissue of the photosensitizers which have photodynamic effect. It is important for PDT to determine the photosensitizer concentration in tumor and in normal tissue. We quantitatively analysed the concentration of the metallic phthalocyanines, a class of photosensitizers now recognized as 'second generation' PDT drugs and studied its action in different time by PIXE technique. The paper shows also the correlation between trace elements and cancer. (author)