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G27 - Photodynamic Therapy
Intro: If you're one of the millions of people who runs for the antacids after a spicy meal, listen up. Occasional heartburn is usually nothing to worry about. But if heartburn hits two or more times a week you may be at risk of developing a condition called Barrett's esophagus that increases your risk of cancer. Let's go to Mayo Clinic where doctors are using light to treat esophageal cancers that are detected early.
| Video | Audio |
| Total running time 1:26 | UNDER DIM LIGHTS, 74-YEAR-OLD DONALD ANDERSON IS GETTING PREPPED FOR A PROCEDURE THAT WILL HOPEFULLY KILL HIS EARLY STAGE ESOPHAGEAL CANCER. |
Donald Anderson |
"THEY FOUND IT SO SOON. I HAD ABSOLUTELY NO SYMPTOMS." |
| SINCE DONALD'S CANCER WAS FOUND EARLY AND HASN'T SPREAD, HE DIDN'T NEED A BIG OPERATION. INSTEAD DR. VEER-ENDER SHAR-MUH REMOVED THE CANCER WITH AN ENDOSCOPE. THEN THREE WEEKS LATER, HE PERFORMED ANOTHER ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURE CALLED PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY WHICH IS ... | |
| Virender Sharma, M.D. Mayo Clinic Gastroenterologist |
"PREVENTION OF THE FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF CANCER IN THAT AREA." |
Begin animation |
FIRST DR. SHARMA INJECTS A DRUG CALLED PORFIMER POOR-FUH-MOR SODIUM. |
Continue animation under Dr. Sharma's voice |
"ALL YOUR NORMAL BODY CELLS HAVE ENZYMES TO GET RID OF THIS DRUG. THE CANCEROUS AND PRECANCEROUS CELLS IN THE ESOPHAGUS CANNOT GET RID OF THIS DRUG. IT SELECTIVELY ACCUMULATES IN BAD CELLS." TWO DAYS LATER HE LOWERS A LASER TO THE SITE FROM WHICH THE CANCER WAS REMOVED. THE LIGHT ACTIVATES THE DRUG AND KILLS BAD CELLS LEFT BEHIND. |
VO: procedure video Standup |
IT'S MUCH EASIER ON THE PATIENT THAN STANDARD SURGERY BUT IT DOES COME WITH A PRICE. PORFIMER SODIUM ACCUMULATES IN ONE TYPE OF NORMAL TISSUE -- SKIN. IT STAYS THERE FOR ABOUT 30 DAYS. DURING THAT TIME PATIENTS MUST STAY OUT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT OR RISK THIRD-DEGREE BURNS. ANY LIGHT THAT CASTS A SHADOW IS TOO STRONG. |
| Donald Anderson | "THE FIRST THING I'M GOING TO DO WHEN I GET HOME IS PUT TARPS ON ALL THE WINDOWS." |
| BUT DONALD SAYS LIVING IN THE DARK FOR A MONTH IS A SMALL PRICE TO PAY FOR LIFE. | |
| FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS. | |
Tag: Photodynamic therapy is used for esophageal cancers that are small and removable with an endoscope. If the cancer is large or has spread, standard surgery will likely be necessary. For more information, log on to our Web site at ...
STATIONS: Per the licensing agreement, please provide a link from your station's Web site to www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge or voice tag "mayoclinic.org/medical-edge" for more information.
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