Enhancing the efficacy of photodynamic therapy by a chinese herbal medicine for hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks the sixth among the most common malignancies, with chronic HBV infection being the most common cause. HCC is more common in Africa, China and south-east Asia, but its incidence in the USA, Canada and Australia is rising. Current treatment modalities for HCC are not effective, and only a small percentage of patients are suitable for surgical resection and liver transplantation. Thus other treatment options and improvement of available modalities are badly in need. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) may have some therapeutic benefit for patients with HCC. The study by Tang et al. has implicated that coupled with Pheophorbide a (Pa), PDT may offer therapeutic benefit for patients with HCC. Inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis by Pa may be mechanistically responsible for Pa-PDT. As Pa is an extract from a Chinese herbal medicine Scutellaria Barbata, which is widely available, less toxic and less expensive, such a combination may find a better clinical usage in the treatment of HCC patients. More studies are mandatory to fully elucidate the efficacy and mechanisms of Pa-mediated PDT.