Photoacoustic priming and photodynamic therapy of solid tumors

Abstract

We exposed aggressive 4T1 tumors to photoacoustic waves with the aim to increase the concentration of a photosensitizer in the tumors and improve the outcome of photodynamic therapy (PDT). The photoacoustic waves were generated using a material that efficiently converts laser pulses into high-amplitude ultrasound pulses, and their effect in tumor priming were assessed using photoacoustic tomography. After the redaporfin injection and tumor priming with photoacoustic waves, the tumors were treated with light, leading to a significant increase in the survival of the mice compared to untreated. These results suggest that photoacoustic tumor priming can improve the efficacy of PDT, and may be a promising strategy for enhancing drug delivery to solid tumors.